While Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Minister of State Bandi Sanjay are busy locking horns over the Padma award for Gaddar, the real man behind the controversy seems to be quietly watching from the sidelines – Union Minister G Kishan Reddy. A little bird tells us that he was the one who handpicked the Padma awardees this time, and the choices haven’t exactly gone down well in Telugu states. Names like Nagaphani Sharma, Nandamuri Balakrishna, and Manda Krishna Madiga have sparked debates, with many feeling that the awards lacked a true “people’s Padma” spirit. Now, with the issue snowballing, it appears Kishan Reddy just wants the controversy to die down quietly. Interestingly, Bandi Sanjay – who is usually aggressive in defending BJP’s state office – has given a rather toned-down response to Revanth Reddy’s remark about renaming BJP office lane as Gaddar Lane in protest. And why? Word is, it’s because of Kishan Reddy. While the party pretends to be unfazed, the reality is clear- the BJP state chief himself put them in an awkward spot.
REPORTERS’ DIARY : Padma Award Controversy: Kishan Reddy’s Main Role?
