HYDERABAD: Even as ministers tried to make a show of how they had no differences among themselves, the undercurrent of disapproval over the style of functioning of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was evident on the second and final day of the twoday Collectors' Conference on Thursday.With the media reporting that some ministers had entered into wordy duels among themselves while others were miffed at the chief minister's comments on Jalayagnam, the cabinet ministers, apparently on the instructions of the chief minister, tried to put up a show of how nothing was amiss. But the whole thing looked ridiculous to onlookers with the players stretching their act a bit too far.While tourism minister Vatti Vasant Kumar planted a kiss on revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy's cheeks to portray his love for him in front of the media, information minister DK Aruna and civil supplies minister D Sridhar Babu tried to explain how the collectors' conference helped in toning the administration.Sridhar Babu and Danam Nagender, who had been matching word for word on the issue of ration cards Wednesday, suddenly appeared very pally overnight. Information and technology minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah was seen in the company of the chief minister, laughing loudly at the slightest provocation.But the veil of pretence could not be stretched for long and soon lifted, with ministers speaking in hushed voices about how shabbily they were being treated by the chief minister.The mood of the ministers did an about turn when the chief minister broached law and order issues at the meeting. Taking the cue, most ministers left the hall, as it is a subject which the chief minister discusses with the home minister, DGP and the collectors. But textiles minister P Shankar Rao decided to stay on.Apparently inconvenienced by his presence, the chief minister sent word to him through an IAS officer asking him to leave the place.The minister took exception to this and angrily shot back: "If you want, you leave the place. Why should I leave. What would happen if I stay on?" But he left the place nevertheless.Other ministers too did not understand why their presence was a problem. A minister, on condition of anonymity, said: “I used to attend all the law and order meetings when YSR was the chief minister.” But there were some who supported Kiran Kumar Reddy. “I have been minister for quite a long time. Ministers usually don’t attend law and order meetings called by the chief minister,” Raghuveera Reddy said.A few ministers, who had earlier been vying to send across the message of unity, were later seen complaining to mediapersons about how they did not like being sent out of the chief minister’s meeting with the Collectors.
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