HYDERABAD: The YSR Congress expressing its intent to explore every possible method to reunite Andhra Pradesh and Telangana created ripples in political circles in the two states on Thursday.
Without much provocation, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told mediapersons in Vijayawada that party supremo and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was still pained over bifurcation and would be the first to welcome unification of the two states.
“We advocate a combined state and if there is any chance to reunite we will push to any extent (to realise it),” Ramakrishna Reddy said, adding that the party had been working hard to resolve pending bifurcation issues. “The injustice meted out to Andhra should be undone. If it is not possible, steps should be taken to rectify (anomalies in the Reorganisation Act),” he added.
The TRS moved quickly to capitalise on the regional sentiment and sought to put the BJP, which is fast emerging as the principal opposition in Telangana, on the defensive. TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “conspiring” with the likes of Jagan Mohan Reddy, Y.S. Sharmila and K.A. Paul to destabilise Telangana, whose strides in development could not be matched by any state. He also recalled the repeated assertion of Modi that bifurcation had given birth to a new child but had killed mother.
The BJP, on the other hand, dubbed it as a diversionary tactic of both parties. “KCR has conspired with Jagan Mohan Reddy and some people are making inflammatory comments only to bury important issues such as the liquor scams in which leaders from, or related to, the ruling parties from both states were involved,” said Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay.
Senior Andhra BJP leader S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy said both parties had started enacting a new drama and questioned the duplicity of YSR Congress. It had asked Supreme Court to close all cases filed opposing bifurcation in Delhi, he pointed out, while, back home, YSRC leaders were advocating reunification.
A section of BJP leaders also wondered if the YSR Congress was retaliating to Modi’s conversation with Sharmila by indirectly helping the TRS to stoke regional emotions and make electoral gains.
Congress leaders from Telangana also condemned YSR Congress’ “provocative” statements eight years after state bifurcation. “Instead of whipping up emotions, it is better that the two governments to focus on people’s welfare,” said former MP Ponnam Prabhakar.
CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka termed Ramakrishna Reddy’s statements as a conspiracy to stoke regional sentiments. “Those are his individual statements and are against the aspirations of the Telangana people. Such statements are uncalled for and the Telangana Congress remains averse to the statements which are not new,” he said.
