Dumping its slogan of ‘equal justice’ to all regions, YSR Congress came out openly in support of united Andhra Pradesh on the eve of Sharmila launching ‘Samaikya Shankaravam’ bus yatra from Idupulapaya on Monday.
YSR Congress honorary president Y. S. Vijayamma on Sunday wrote a three-page open letter to the people expressing its commitment to unity of the State. The party’s changed stand apparently comes at a time when the agitation to keep the State is serious across all the 13 districts.
In tune with the strong sentiment for keeping the State united, Ms. Sharmila will launch her bus yatra after paying respects to late Rajasekhara Reddy on his fourth death anniversary.
She said that her party legislators had resigned because of the Congress party’s attitude towards bifurcation.
“I went on fast in Guntur, which was foiled by the police. Similarly, Jaganmohan Reddy launched fast unto death in jail which was forcibly ended by the doctors. To take our struggle further to keep the State united, Sharmila is launching ‘Samaikya Shankaravam’ bus yatra from Tirupati,” she pointed out.
Ms. Vijayamma said that in its letter to the Prime Minister, she had said that YSR Congress, MIM and the CPI (M) had favoured keeping the State united while the Congress, TRS, TDP, BJP and CPI had supported bifurcation.
The party has all along been demanding that the State be kept united if the Centre fails to do equal justice to all the three regions. The party faced minor revolt in Telangana, when senior party functionaries like Konda Surekha and others quit protesting resignation of the MLAs.
Ms. Vijayamma accused the Congress of dividing the State keeping an eye on votes and nothing else. She said that the Congress washed its hand off by saying that Hyderabad would be a common capital for 10 years and that the new capital should be developed in Seemandhra within that period. She wondered what would happen to the new State once it was divided. She also lamented that lakhs would have to forego employment. She said in such circumstances, instead of opposing bifurcation, the TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu backed it.
The YSR Congess leader expressed confidence that Jaganmohan Reddy would bring back the golden era of Rajasekhara Reddy through his selfless commitment to all round development of Andhra Pradesh.
