The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, scoffed rumours that Mr Vivekananda Reddy had resigned over the recent incidents in the Assembly — where he had attacked TD members — and the setting up of a House panel to probe into controversial land allotments during the rule of YSR, his brother. Mr Vivekananda Reddy skipped the 173rd state-level bankers’ committee meeting chaired by the Chief Minister though agriculture credit and allied areas figured at the meeting.

The Chief Minister explained that many ministers had skipped the meeting, as they had left for their constituencies after a hectic Budget Session. When asked about his contesting in the by polls, Mr Vivekananda Reddy said it was up to the Congress leadership to decide whether he would contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha, or Pulivendula Assembly constituency. There are also speculations that Mr Vivekananda Reddy might join Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s camp at some point of time and contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha, while Mr Jagan will contest from the Pulivendula Assembly segment. But sources close to both denied any such pact and said Mr Vivekananda Reddy would continue in the Congress whether he contested in the by polls or not.

The sources added that, of late, Mr Vivekananda Reddy had been trying hard to prove his loyalty to YSR and that was why he had raised objections in the Assembly to the scandalous propaganda of the Opposition and had even attacked them. His followers, meanwhile, described Mr Vivekananda Reddy as “Lakshman” to YSR and praised him for resigning on moral grounds before the polls.