TDP senior leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu took strong objection to the manner in which the Seemandhra Congress leaders and the YSR Congress leaders were solely blaming TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for the present crisis before the Telugu people in view of the separate statehood issue.
He expressed surprise over the ‘doublespeak’ of the Congress, as its Telangana leaders were showering praise on Sonia Gandhi for announcing separate state while their counterparts in Seemandhra were finding fault with Mr. Chandrababu Naidu for giving a letter in favour of division.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Muddukrishnama Naidu said that the ‘equal justice’ stand taken by YSRC honorary president Vijayamma was creating confusion about the party’s stand on the division.
“She raised this issue with the President and the Prime Minister. She should explain what exactly ‘equal justice’ means in the context of Seemandhra people,” he said. Mr. Naidu asked whether the YSRC’s demand for ‘sama nyayam’ meant justice to the Seemandhra people in respect of funds for new capital, job opportunities, and river water allocations. All these issues would come up only when the people would agree for separation, he added.
‘Main accused’
Referring to the allegations against Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP, Mr. Muddukrishnama Naidu said that for the entire bifurcation episode, it was former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who was the main accused while the second accused would be AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
It was YSR who played against the interests of Seemandhra people by sending a team of 41 Telangana MLAs to Sonia Gandhi in favour of separation, he said.
Mr. Naidu said that during his marathon padayatra, YSR announced at Mahbubabad in Warangal district that he was not against formation of Telangana and he eventually became responsible for the alliance of Congress with TRS in 2004 elections. Mr. Muddukrishnama Naidu deplored that the Congress and the YSRC were working hand in glove and they were out to harm the interests of the Seemandhra people, who were facing a deep crisis in the wake of announcement on bifurcation.