Congress senior leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanth Rao has said that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana have to choose between AICC president Sonia Gandhi and former chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
Talking to the media here on Tuesday, he said there was no way for them to be loyal to both the leaders. He questioned how Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has earned crores of rupees if his father was not corrupt. He said YSR and Jagan were hand-in-glove in corruption. He said the people would not trust the Congress if they try to separate the father and son, by saying that YSR was virtuous and Jagan was corrupt.
Stating that this was the time to trounce Jagan, VH said if there were any leaders in the party, who wish to remain loyal to YSR, they should leave the Congress. He said that if Congress leaders try to support YSR because he was Congress leader, people would lose their faith in them.
Referring to the visit of Jagan with his ‘hench’ men to Sangareddy, to console riot victims, he said it was pathetic that he was playing politics in the name of consoling people. VH also faulted police, stating that they were supporting Jagan.
When questioned about the problem of unity in Congress, he said that Congress won Chikmagalur and Udipi seats only because it stood united. Referring to cases on Jagan, VH said Congress was taking courageous action against corruption and reminded that Kanimozhi, DMK MP and daughter of the Tamilnadu patriarch Karunanidhi to jail. He also said that ACB was acting dispassionately.
Asked about YSR’s efforts, the former PCC Chief said that it was not because of late Chief Minister’s efforts that Congress came to power. He said it was just a misrepresentation that Congress came to power only because of the Padayatra of YSR in 2004. On the other hand, it was because of the Congress that YSR grew as a leader. He said that a time would come when lands allotted by YSR would be cancelled. He said the Chief Minister who was showing interest on ACB raids on liquor syndicates should show equal interest on the Emaar case also. (NSS)