Jagan Mohan Reddy seeks Mamata's support against Andhra Pradesh bifurcation

Kolkata: YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday met Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her party to oppose the Telangana Bill in the Parliament and demanded it be withdrawn.

Describing the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh as 'unacceptable', Reddy emerging from his meeting with Banerjee at 'Nabanna' (state Secretariat) told reporters, "We have sought her (Mamata) help in Parliament to prevent the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh".

"Whatever the Central government is doing is not acceptable. The Bill should be withdrawn. Before taking such a decision, consent of the Assembly of the concerned state should have been taken. It also requires two-third majority of both Houses of the Parliament. We are against bifurcation of any state in this way," Jagan said.

"They can't divide any state at their whims and fancies," he said, adding Article 3 of the Constitution (regarding formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states) should be amended.

Extending her full support to Reddy, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, "Jagan and his mother are in touch with us. We will extend solidarity and full support to them." Banerjee also described Jagan Mohan Reddy as a younger brother.

"They (Jagan) are going to everybody. They have come to us. They are going to all opposition parties to seek support against the Bill."

Asked why Telangana was not created earlier, Banerjee said, "It has now been done with a political motive just before the Lok Sabha elections. I don't know if it was in the Congress manifesto. Bifurcation (of a state) is a sensitive issue. Before taking such a decision the government should take public opinion."

"Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chhatisgarh were created when all political parties unitedly supported a resolution and the matter was moved in the Parliament," she said.

Next: Mamata, Jagan reportedly discuss Federal Front

Mamata, Jagan reportedly discuss Federal Front

Kolkata: The formation of a Federal Front before the Lok Sabha polls reportedly figured at a meeting between Trinamool Congress (TC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy who met her to seek her support against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

"Discussions on a Federal Front is on at political level. It will be decided later," Banerjee told reporters after the meeting at the state secretariat in the presence of Reddy. 

The YSR Congress President said that relations with Banerjee were cordial. The TC supremo had earlier appealed to non-Congress and non-BJP regional parties to float a federal front before the Lok Sabha polls.