KURNOOL: Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samiti president Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy said on Monday that Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy’s remarks vindicated his stand that the Chandrababu Naidu government was meting out injustice to the backward Rayalaseema region.
Appreciating Mr. Krishnamurthy’s concern towards Rayalaseema, Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy told the media here that the seasoned political leader revealed his mind at least now. Had such leaders spoken out during the Samaikyandhra movement, Andhra Pradesh would have been trifurcated and Rayalaseema would not have to sail along with coastal Andhra, he remarked.
Most leaders were perturbed at neglect of the region, but were hesitant to speak out apprehending that they might incur the wrath of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and fearing loss of positions and future prospects.
He called upon all the leaders to come together and voice their concern for development of Rayalaseema.
Mr. Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy charged the Chandrababu Naidu government with scrapping Kandaleru project sanctioned by his predecessor N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, after allocation of Rs. 7,000 crore and finalising the tenders. Mr. Naidu was laying the foundation and subsequently ignoring them.
Referring to Rajya Sabha member T.G. Venkatesh’s concern at the prevailing trend and disunity among leaders of the region, the RPS leader urged him to lead a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mr. Reddy said he would stage a two-day hunger strike in Kurnool on January 18 and 19 on the demand for declaration of Amaravati as a free zone and resenting Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s moves to scrap the existing zonal system. He asked the leaders of TDP and YSRC to come forward to safeguard the self-respect of the people of Rayalaseema.
