The local Congress party leaders called Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy ‘The new hero’. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, former MLA Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) pointed out that the CM had put up a strong defence in support of Samaikyandhra at the press meet that he addressed on Friday evening. “Without fearing for his post or how the Congress high command would react, Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy gave a lucid presentation on how the State would lose if bifurcated,” said the former MLA.
Appreciating the CM’s suggestion to the MLAs not to resign, Mr. Nehru pointed out that the suggestion was right and apt for the moment. “The Congress high command’s is wishing that the MLAs resign so that it would be easy for them to impose President’s rule. And once President’s rule was in force the bifurcation of the State would be an uncomplicated issue. The right thing for the MLAs, cutting across party lines, would be to stay in the Assembly and defeat the bifurcation Bill. We however, favour that the MPs and Central Ministers put up their resignation,” he said.
On Digvijay Singh’s comment that getting a positive ‘nod’ in the Assembly was not an important issue, Mr. Nehru said, “Digvijay was probably not aware of the rules. The bifurcation of a State can only happen only when a majority clears it in the State Assembly.”
Mr. Nehru was accompanied by urban unit president Adapa Nagendra, working president Meesala Rajeswara Rao and senior leader Kolanukonda Sivaji. “We are in a defiant mood and we would oppose the bifurcation tooth and nail, as we believe that we are ‘one’ Telugu people across the State and there was no distinction,” said Mr. Rajeswara Rao.
Attacking the Telugu Desam Party, Mr. Sivaji dared its president N. Chandrababu Naidu to come clear on his Samaikyandhra stand. “While our CM is ready to sacrifice his chair for a united AP, leaders from the YSR Congress and the TDP are vying for it and do not really bother whether the State stays united or not. Chandrababu had shamefully gone to the extent of suggesting the amount that is required for building a new capital,” said Mr. Sivaji.
