BJP senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu made light of the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Seemandhra Congress MPs’ opposition to bifurcation of the State alleging that they were posturing as part of the drama scripted by Congress high command.
He recalled AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh’s recent comment that Mr. Reddy was a “staunch loyalist”. Accusing Congress leaders of indulging in double speak, he said the resignation of 13 MPs from Seemandhra would have normally lead to the collapse of the UPA Government. “But they don’t resign and come up with the excuse that their letter has been rejected by the Lok Sabha Speaker,” he said.
He dismissed reports that there was change in the BJP’s stand on Telangana and the party was likely to oppose the Bill as and when it was introduced in the Parliament. “There is no change in our stand in support of smaller States,” he asserted.
In fact, the BJP had submitted a representation to the Group of Ministers supporting separate Telangana while seeking safeguards for the people of Seemandhra. “It is the ruling party which failed to control its leaders from indulging in double standards,” he said.
Mr. Naidu claimed that the BJP was set to win the Assembly elections in four out of the five States going to the polls shortly. These elections were semi finals and the BJP would win the final next year as people were overwhelmingly in support of Mr. Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Unable to digest the growing popularity of Mr. Modi who is sure to crush the elements of terror, the Indian Mujahideen tried to eliminate him in at the Patna meeting,” he said.
