Hyderabad: Perni Nani, Andhra Pradesh transport minister, on Friday accused Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao of prostrating before Prime Minister Narendra Modi in private, contrary to his public posture of fighting against the Centre.
The minister was reacting to Telangana counterpart Vemula Prashanth Reddy’s remarks that AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had been doing rounds to New Delhi with a begging bowl.
The TS minister for roads and buildings also pointed out that Andhra Pradesh could not survive for a day without the financial assistance provided by the Centre in the form of loans and advances. He said the Andhra Pradesh government was fixing meters to agriculture pump sets under pressure from the Centre.
Earlier, Nani had ridiculed Chandrashekar Rao’s claims that people from Andhra Pradesh were requesting him to launch the TRS in their state, and suggested, in a sarcastic way, to merge both states again.
“It is true that we have been begging for funds due for the state but why is it that KCR has been doing rounds to Delhi? Is it not true that KCR is begging Modi for a few berths in the National Democratic Alliance-led Central government?” he said.
He further added: “Veedhilo collar egaresi intlo kalla meeda padadam Jagan nature kaadu (It is not the nature of Jagan Mohan Reddy to talk tough in public and fall down on feet in private).”
The AP minister also sought to call Telangana government’s claims of having a surplus economy a bluff stating that the huge pendency of bills to contractors, who already executed works in Telangana explains how badly the finances were managed by KCR government.
“People of AP lost Hyderabad which has been generating huge economic activity, but despite gaining from the capital city, the TRS government has become bankrupt,” he alleged.
The war of words had started after the Telangana minister took potshots at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister at a dharna organised by TRS demanding the Centre to procure entire paddy grown in the State during rabi season.
Referring to Jagan’s statements that the state bifurcation would spell doom for Telangana region, Prashanth Reddy said “ippudu vaadu bichamethukuntunnadu” (he is now begging).
