Does state Industries minister J. Geetha Reddy has any other way than following the footsteps of her colleagues who quit their ministerial posts after the CBI named them in YS Jagan’s disproportionate assets case? Though the ruling camp is keeping quiet, opposition parties have upped the ante for her resignation.
State’s former home minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and former Roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao resigned after their names cropped up in the charge-sheets filed by the CBI in the recent past.
One striking difference between Geetha Reddy and other ministers who resigned including Mopidevi venkatramana, is that she is quite senior as a minister and as a politician. She had served in the Cabinets of Marri Chenna Reddy and Kotla Viajaya Bahskar Reddy in the past. She was the Leader of the House during the tenure of K. Rosaiah as Chief Minister, as Rosaiah was an MLC. Before Damodara Rajanarasimha was anointed as the Deputy Chief Minister, she was a strong contender for the job.
However, no amount of seniority might be able to help her if she has to really bite the bullet. A stock factor going against her, is the decision of the Congress high-command following the Commonwealth Games scam, that no leader will be spared if she or he faces a serious charge of corruption.
A delegation of TDP leaders will meet Governor ESL Narasimhan to press for her sacking. Also, K. Narayana, State secretary of CPI has demanded her to quit the ministerial berth on moral grounds as the CBI has filed a charge-sheet against her.
