YSR Congress leader Sharmila accused the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of being equally responsible for plotting the bifurcation of the State and would remain in the history pages as betrayers of Seemandhra.
Addressing a ‘Samikya Sankharavam’ meeting in Proddatur on Friday night, she ridiculed the claims that her father and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was instrumental in bifurcation and asserted that the State would not have been in turmoil had he been alive. The Congress decided to bifurcate the State for gaining seats and votes and take the credit for carving out a State and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu was silent fearing loss of votes, she alleged. Mr. Naidu’s support emboldened the Congress to take the decision, she said.
If Mr. Naidu has conscience and the will to serve his motherland, he should withdraw his pro-Telangana letter and the party MPs and MLAs including him should resign. She charged Mr. Naidu with raising a hue and cry over bifurcation of the State after supporting the cause. As soon as the Congress gave indications that the State would be divided without finding any solution to several issues in all the regions, YSRC MPs and MLAs resigned, she recalled.
Ms. Sharmila took a dig at Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy alleging that he was using welfare and development schemes only for publicity. He merely made aerial jaunts to New Delhi and proved to be a failure as bifurcation was mooted in his rule.
Rayalaseema would become a desert if the State was bifurcated, as projects like Telugu Ganga, Galeru Nagari and Handri Neeva would not get water, if water was diverted upstream. YSR advocated Krishna-Godavari linkage, she recalled. People of Seemandhra were partners in developing Hyderabad and all Chief Ministers developed it as a capital and Telanganites have no claim on Hyderabad.
Bifurcation would affect employment avenues and loss up to 50 per cent of revenue accruing from Hyderabad would stall disbursal of salaries, pensions and implementation of welfare schemes, the YSRC leader said.
YSRC district convenor K. Suresh Babu, former Kadapa Mayor P. Raveendranath Reddy, YSRC district youth wing president Y.S. Avinash Reddy, Proddatur constituency in-charge Rachamallu Prasad Reddy and others participated.
