Minister for Investment and Infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Sunday said he was ready to defy the party whip if the high command asked them to vote in favour of Telangana resolution in the Assembly.
“Our stand is very clear. There is no scope to change our stand against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. People are our high command and I will not support any decision taken by the Congress high command which goes against the wishes of the people,” he told reporters at a press conference organised by Non-Political Samaikyandhra JAC here.
Mr. Rao said he and other MLAs and MPs from Seemandhra region were fully committed to fight the division of the State. Asked to comment on his threat of resignation from the State Cabinet, he said the party leadership had asked him to wait for sometime for a favourable decision.
“The question of resignation of elected representatives is left to individual wisdom of the elected representatives. It will be more effective if all of them resign en masse,” he said.
Exuding confidence that in deference to the groundswell of support for Samaikyandhra, the party high command would reverse its decision to divide the State, he said “If required they are ready to violate the party discipline.” He said the present movement in support of unified State was spontaneous and it was wrong to term it as ‘media creation’ by a section of Telangana leaders.
To a question, he said he would be more active in Non-Political Samaikyandhra JAC if he was relieved of his ministerial responsibilities. “The present movement against division is being spearheaded on the lines of the Independence struggle,” he said.
