HYDERABAD: In a direct attack on Sonia Gandhi, YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday said the Congress chief engineered bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh with the intention of “crowning son Rahul as the Prime Minister” and called upon all parties, including the BJP, to thwart the move.
“It is Sonia Gandhi who decided to divide the state just to crown her son Rahul Gandhi as the next PM. She did all this with an eye on the votes from Andhra Pradesh. This is nothing but a dictatorial decision and I request every political party including the BJP to come forward and oppose this arbitrary decision taken by the Congress chief,” Jagan said as he started his indefinite fast against creation of Telangana. His remarks are important as these could hamper any rapproachment with Congress.
The YSR Congress chief said the party had not even taken the state assembly into confidence before the Union cabinet cleared the creation of Telangana.
He even mocked at political rival N Chandrababu Naidu who prepared to launch an anti-Telangana fast in Delhi from Monday, saying he would support his agitation if the TDP chief made his stand clear in favour of a united Andhra. “I cannot understand on what demand Naidu plans to sit on an indefinite fast in Delhi. He should first spell out his stand in favour of a united Andhra before sitting on protest,” Jagan said.
Soon after Jagan stepped out of jail, 16 months after his arrest in disproportionate assets case, Naidu had alleged a “match-fixing” between the Congress and YSR Congress. Jagan, on the other hand, had sent signals that he was keeping his options open till the Lok Sabha polls. He had even a word of praise for Narendra Modi as an administrator, though adding in the same breath that he wanted the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate to get all secular parties together.
The YSR chief said the future of millions of people will be in jeopardy if the state is divided. “From Srikakulam to Chittoor, there is no drinking water. All they have is sea water. All districts depend on rivers Krishna and Godavari. If a new state is formed, our people will be left water-less and job-less,” he said.
Jagan urged all parties to oppose the “arbitrary” decision of the Congress, saying it would have far reaching consequences for the country’s unity. “Why can’t the Congress grant Bodoland, Gorkhaland, Vidharbha and Haritha Pradesh demands? In fact, for Vidharba and the division of Uttar Pradesh, resolutions have been passed by the respective state assemblies. Instead of looking into these demands, why is the Congress targeting Andhra Pradesh? Is it because it wants votes?” he asked.