The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh at the time was K. Brahmananda Reddy. He was liked by local Congressmen, was from a landed caste and came from a coastal district. In the eyes of prime minister Indira Gandhi, these made for three arguments against him. She wanted someone whom she could mould, someone who would attract backward castes and landless peasants, and a Telangana man who could placate the region.
