All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Sunday called upon the Pradesh Congress Committees in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to work together and stand by Telugu-speaking people at a time when they needed them most, post-bifurcation.
He said it was the Congress that gave the final nod that made the 29{+t}{+h}State of the Indian Republic a reality, although it was not an easy decision. However, he agreed that the party was unable to communicate this to voters in a manner that would have resulted in people supporting the Congress. “With the inspiration of a leader like P.V. Narasimha Rao who was mature and bold enough dealing with older people and youthfully energetic when dealing with younger people, party leaders and cadres in AP and Telangana should be ready for the electoral hustings. We need to work hard, together in the elections to the GHMC and then other municipal elections in places like Warangal and Khammam and many more,” he said.
Mr. Digvijaya Singh referred to how Narasimha Rao had his task cut out, in a minority government and had to sell gold in the international market and when there was not enough foreign exchange to buy crude oil. “The way Narasimha Rao and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (then Finance Minister) together brought about revolutionary reforms and brought India back firmly on the rails to a secure economic future needs to be kept in mind,” he said.
It was the first time since AP was bifurcated and Telangana was formed that seniors leaders of both States were found on a common platform to celebrate the 94{+t}{+h}birth anniversary of P.V. Narasimha Rao. Those who addressed the meeting presided by TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka included PCC presidents N. Uttam Kumar Reddy (Telangana) and N. Raghuveera Reddy (AP), MPs T. Subbarami Reddy, V. Hanumantha Rao, Nandi Yellaiah and G. Sukhender Reddy, MLC C. Ramachandraiah, Leaders of Opposition Mohd. Ali Shabbir (Council), K. Jana Reddy (Assembly) and a host of others.
