Telangana political JAC chairman M. Kodandaram on Thursday faulted Telangana Congress and Telugu Desam leaders for failing to display unity in the struggle for achieving separate State as shown by their Andhra counterparts in scuttling the demand for bifurcation of the State.
Addressing the gathering at ‘Alai Balai’ meeting organised by senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya here on Thursday, he said Telangana political leaders had to be united and it was for the Congress Ministers and public representatives of the ruling party and the TDP to decide and show clarity.
The leadership in the Congress, TDP and the BJP would not allow them to come together.
ADVERTISEMENT
State BJP president G. Kishan Reddy said unity could not be achieved without clarity and the Telangana movement would forge ahead only if there was unity among political parties. Congress MP Madhu Yashki Goud expressed scepticism about a favourable decision on Telangana before 2014 elections and called for a time-bound agitation programme, saying formation of the new State was inevitable.
Another Congress MP, G. Vivek, said those opposed to Telangana and ‘traitors’ of the region should be driven out.
He also criticised Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for speaking against Telangana and said nobody supported them when the party MPs were suspended in the Lok Sabha for stalling the proceedings.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Dattatreya accused the Centre of enacting a drama on the issue and said the situation might lead to a constitutional crisis. There was a need to organise a brainstorming session to take the movement forward, he said.
Cutting across political lines, leaders of various parties attended the customary ‘Alai Balai’ organised to mark Dasara festivities.
The get-together sought to showcase the vibrant culture and cuisine of Telangana was attended by prominent people from different walks of life, including the judiciary.
Ministers K. Jana Reddy, Sabitha Indira Reddy, J. Geeta Reddy, Congress leaders V. Hanumantha Rao, K. Keshava Rao, Anand Bhaskar, Rajaiah, TDP leaders Erraballi Dayakar Rao and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Telagana Nagara Samithi president Nagam Janardhan Reddy, TRS leader A. P. Jithender Reddy, BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu, JAC chairman, Kodandaram, Janardhan Reddy of YSRC, Lok Ayukta Justice Sudarshan Reddy and TNGO leaders were among those who participated.
Balladeer Gaddar said the cultural movement for Telangana had reached its peak and the time had come for taking it forward at political level. He told the parties to ‘march separately’ but strike together.