Former minister Dr P. Shanker Rao has said the image of the Congress was waning day after day due to feuding between PCC Chief Botcha Satyanarayana and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Speaking to the media at the CLP office here on Wednesday, Dr Rao said though the Janata Party in 1977 and TDP in 1982 had won the elections and rode to power, the Congress vote bank was in tact. According to some surveys, the Congress vote bank eroded by 19 per cent.
Urging the Centre to create separate Telangana State before another student sacrificing life for separate State, Dr Rao pointed out that already some 1,000 students laid down their precious lives for their goal. He said though the BJP, CPI and TRS have already announced their stand on Telangana issue, but the Centre had gone back on Telangana issue after announcing December 9, 2009 statement.
Expressing surprise over DGP V Dinesh Reddy and senior IPS officer Umesh Kumar going to the court seeking justice, Dr Rao said the DGP level officers were going to courts seeking justice but what about the common man. He warned that he would write to the CBI to inquire into the tussle between the SP and ASP of East Godavari district. He said it was unfortunate that the State government has chosen to suspend ASP Naveen Kumar, who lodged a complaint against East Godavari district SP Trivikrama Varma instead of ordering an inquiry into the episode.
He also asked the State government to explain on the transfers of officers in Police, Excise and Panchayat Raj departments. Stating that the Congress has been getting bad name due to the Chief Minister’s inability, he said the change of chief minister will take place as per the wishes of the people and the media.
Dr Shankar Rao repeated his demand that Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy should step down voluntarily to save the party in the State. He also demanded that the tainted ministers resign to their posts immediately. Stating that the Chief Minister was facing red sanders case, he demanded that the Chief Minister quit immediately before his name written in black letters in the history. He said AICC general secretary in-charge of State party affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad and another in-charge Vayalar Ravi are arriving here on September 10. (NSS)