All is not over, says YSR Congress

Hyderabad: Allaying the fears of a separate statehood, YSR Congress has said that all is not over with the cabinet giving its nod to the draft Bill but there is enough time to fight back to keep the state united.

“Cabinet giving the nod for a separate State has increased our responsibility to put up a stern fight against the division and strengthen our resolve to fight for Samaikyandhra,” party spokesperson Vasireddy Padma told reporters here on Saturday. 

This is the time to be united and show our strength to Delhi as the Congress and TDP have miserably failed in keeping the State united. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been moving from pillar to post to seek support from national and regional party leaders to stall the division process and mobilizing opinion for amending article 3 so that it cannot be misused by the Party in power at the Centre.

The bandh call given by YSR Congress has evoked very good response on the second day as well, she said. Though the State and Union Ministers and Congress leaders have given up, the battle is far from over, rather it has just begun, she said. “Being integrationists, our responsibility has increased and YSR Congress will take the fight in to the opponents’ camp,” she said.

There is no consensus among the political parties and the consent of the assembly is not taken which is why there is every possibility that the division process will stop, she said.

There are many phases after the nod given by the cabinet. It has to reach the President and he has to send it to the Assembly which has to discuss and send it to Parliament where there would also be a debate and should go for President’s assent. The possibility of Court intervention is also not ruled out.

“We firmly believe that the Bill will be stopped at some stage or the other and the decision on division has to stall. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is working hard to keep the State united,” she said. Our leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been demanding the Centre to hold elections as a referendum to the division issue. She said that YSR Congress will stand for a united state and fight the election on that plank and people’s mandate will prevail.

“There is need to hold 2014 elections as a referendum as the assembly consent was not taken before taking the decision on division. Our leader has challenged that we will win more than 30 seats and prove to the nation that majority of the people wanted the State to be united,” she said.

“This the time for all integrationists to brave the storm and fight it out as it is not the end of the tunnel and there is light beyond it. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is leading the movement for a united State and he is getting all round support,” she said.

Congress leaders of Seemandhra are speaking as if they are not party to the division and they belong to a different group. If they are not in agreement with the CWC decision, they should have quit the Party and expressed their protest.

After the cabinet nod, expressing their anguish is nothing short of theatrics and all is happening with the full knowledge of the high command and the disappointment and pathos that is being exhibited is only for public consumption.

The Congress leaders of the State are party to every decision the high command has taken and this was told by Digvijay Singh himself, she said.

The double standards of TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu have been thoroughly exposed with second rung leaders of both regions speaking on regional lines while the Party President is maintaining stoic silence.

Next: YSRCP to intensify agitation from Dec 10

YSRCP to intensify agitation from Dec 10

Hyderabad: Stepping up its agitation against the bifurcation of the State, YSR Congress Party has chalked out a protest programme to reach out to the people and voice their concern to Delhi and attract national attention and will take up blockade of highways on December 12 which is likely to be the first day of Assembly session.

“With protests by all the integrationists going on for the past 130 days, the Party would intensify the agitation and involve people of all sections in the movement against the division of the state from December 10 onwards and the resentment will echo in Delhi,” party deputy floor leader Sobha Nagi Reddy told reporters here on Saturday.

Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has drafted the agitation programme as the resentment should come from grass root level and involve all sections of people. He has been touring the country and mobilising support of national and regional party leaders as well to widen the canvas of resentment on the division and the need to amend article 3.

On December 10 a protest rally by students and youth would be held against the division as they would be bearing the brunt after the State is divided. On December 11, we will organise tractors rally by farmers seeking a united state in all the 13 Seemandhra districts as sharing of river waters would be the main issue after the division.

On December 12, which is supposed to be the first day of the Assembly session, highway blockade programme would be taken up to voice the protest against the division of the State.

On December 13, a meeting with all sections of people would be organized to highlight the undemocratic manner in which the state is being bifurcated and the dangerous consequences that would crop up in the aftermath of the division.

From December 14 onwards, there will be meetings in every constituency to highlight the authoritarian and undemocratic attitude of the Congress and the irresponsible TDP which has no clarity and is ambiguous on such a crucial issue.

With both TDP and Congress losing confidence of the people, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has emerged as the sole leader who could lead the state and safeguard its interests, a party source said.