Kiran Kumar Reddy - New CM for AP

Kiran Kumar Reddy will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh today after K Rosaiah resigned on Wednesday citing health reasons.

The two big challenges for the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, a rebellious Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Telangana issue, will now be tackled by the new Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy whose name was announced late on Wednesday night as K Rosaiah's replacement.

The change of guard took most by surprise including the new Chief Minister himself. A four-time MLA from Rayalseema region and a YSR loyalist, Kiran Kumar Reddy will be sworn in today. The swearing in ceremony will take place at 12:15 pm. After this, Kiran Kumar Reddy is likely to go to Delhi this evening or tomorrow morning.

K Rosaiah stepped down on Wednesday afternoon citing personal reasons. Senior Congress leaders from Delhi, including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Law Minister Veerappa Moily, who is also the General Secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, met with Congress MLAs in Hyderabad. A resolution was passed asking Sonia Gandhi to select the new leader.

"There are a lot of challenges ahead of me. I think with the cooperation of all the legislators and my party and the officers of the state I think, we can overcome all the problems," said Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Reddy is the speaker of the current assembly, and was the chief whip of the Congress in the previous government of YS Rajashekhar Reddy.

Rosaiah Resign

As senior Congress leaders headed to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister K Rosaiah has announced his resignation.

The party in Andhra Pradesh has faced a public and massive attack from one of its own against the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi.

On Friday, Sakshi TV, owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy, broadcast a program that was scathing in its assessment of both leaders. The channel's management said Jagan Mohan was not aware of the show's contents. Re-runs of the same show did not carry the controversial parts.

Rosaiah has seen massive resistance within his party from supporters of Jagan, whose father, the immensely-popular YSR, died in a helicopter crash last September. Rosaiah was picked to replace him as chief minister - Jagan and his camp have challenged this decision through campaigns like the Odarpu Yatra which saw Jagan touring the state in a show of strength, in open defiance of the party which had ordered him to cut short the road show.

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