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Former AP chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy might join BJP, sources close to the leader told TOI.

HYDERABAD: All but consigned to the dustbin, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is seeking to bounce back and is mulling the option of joining the BJP , sources close to the leader told Times of India.Despite being in the Congress, Kiran had become the party's most vocal opponent of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh even while being the chief minister. He also quit the party and floated the Jai Samaikyandhra Party. However, with both his party and the Congress getting routed in the polls, Kiran's aides said there is no point in returning to the Congress. "Hence, Kiran is looking towards the BJP. Discussions are going on. That is all I can say at this moment," said an aide of the former CM to TOI.According to sources, Kiran was reluctant to negotiate with the BJP as it too played a part in the creation of Telangana . However, his brothers — who are his closest advisors — appear to have convinced him that joining the BJP was the best option if he wanted to revive his political career.Former Andhra CM Kiran Reddy announces new party ‘to uphold Telugus’ dignity’Kiran's 'Join BJP' mission is being pursued on two fronts, one through a major Gujarat-based business group that is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the second through some BJP links in Bangalore. The former Congress government headed by Kiran had entered into an MoU with the business group by which the latter promised to invest Rs 5,000 crore in developing an industrial park and port in the east coast. Kiran had tried his best to allot land for the company between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam but the Kakinada Sea Ports management claimed that the land being considered for the allotment belonged to them. Before the matter could be sorted out, Kiran resigned as chief minister. "But he is still in touch with the business group, which has gained a certain added power because of its proximity with Modi," sources told TOI.The second route is being pursued by one of the brothers of Kiran who is based in Bangalore and operates a real estate and construction company in Karnataka. "He is well connected with BJP leaders in Karnataka and they are negotiating on behalf of Kiran with the saffron party's leadership in Delhi," the sources claimed. In fact, Kiran has made Bangalore his temporary base to keep himself out of public glare.For the BJP too, it is a win-win situation. Thanks to the political annihilation of the Congress, the BJP is aiming to fill up the political vacuum. The ties with the TDP notwithstanding, It wants to build up a base by having strong leaders and Kiran by joining the BJP can certainly help on that front," some analysts averred. In any case, snaring a former Congress chief minister would be a major political victory for BJP, sources in the Kiran camp claimed. Kiran Reddy was himself not available for comments.