Hyderabad, May 18: TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao today waded into controversy over Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour of Telangana, saying he is remembered as the flag bearer of Samaikya Andhra in Parliament, and therefore was not welcome in the region.
The MP tour, titled Odarpu Yatra and scheduled to begin on May 28, is ostensibly to `console’ the families of people who died of shock when his father, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, died last year. Leaders from several parties have opposed the yatra in Telangana where the MP is seen as hostile to the separatist sentiment.
Chandrasekhar Rao said, “What prevents Jagan Mohan Reddy from saying he will also visit the families of those who have died for the cause of Telangana? No wonder he is not welcome in Telangana. Leaders should understand the mood of the people before deciding on their tour programmes.” Despite receiving a rap on the knuckles from his own party, TDP leader E Dayakar Rao also maintained his stand that he would oppose the MP’s tour of Warangal. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s hidden agenda was to propagate the concept of united Andhra Pradesh which the people would not tolerate.
He said he did not care that TDP senior leader N Harikrishna had found fault with him. Interestingly, just last week, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, while visiting Nalgonda district, flew into a rage against TRS activists who were trying to disrupt his interaction with farmers, saying that one had no freedom to obstruct the programmes of other parties. But when his own party colleague said he would obstruct Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour, he is reported to have said that Dayakar Rao had not done anything warranting disciplinary action.
Some Telangana Congress leaders too are angry with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour and went to the extent of saying that the people would teach him a fitting lesson. Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki said the people of Telangana would not welcome him. “If he went ahead with his so-called Odarpu Yatra, people would teach him a fitting lesson,” he said.
However, former minister K Surekha said she saw nothing wrong with Jagan Mohan Reddy visiting Warangal district.
“If he had any hidden agenda, there is a point in criticising him. But he is touring the district only to comfort the families whose members had died following the death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy. It is a noble cause and one should not take any objection to it,” she said and given her all out support to Jagan Mohan Reddy, her statement did not come as a surprise.
Q & A
TDP leader E.Dayakar rao maintaining his stand that he would oppose the MP’s tour of Warangal as he opines that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s hidden agenda was to propagate the concept of united Andhra Pradesh, which the people would not tolerate.
Q: Why are you opposing YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour of Telangana districts?
A: Jagan’s father late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had worked as chief minister for over five years. During his period, Sriramsagar Project in Warangal had dried up because of his attitude towards irrigation projects in Telangana districts. That is why we are opposing Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour. Students, who are worried over the possibility of Jagan Mohan Reddy throwing a spanner in the formation of separate Telangana state, are committing suicide. If his tour continues, more number of students might end their lives.
Q: Don’t you think your decision to obstruct Jagan’s tour runs in conflict with your party president N Chandrababu Naidu’s observation that no party should disrupt the meetings of the others wherever they are held?
A: What Naidu had said is true. We are not deviating from the party line he had enunciated. What he meant on that day was that when a leader is espousing the cause of the people, one has no right to disrupt the attempt. This applies to only honest leaders like Naidu but not Jagan Mohan Reddy who wants to tour Telangana with a hidden agenda.
Q: How come you have not changed your stand in spite of the suggestion made by your party senior leader and Rajya Sabha member N Harikrishna that one had no right to obstruct another in expressing one’s opinion regardless of which area it is being done?.
A: There is no doubt Harikrishna is a senior leader. My intention is not to defy him. What I am trying to do is to respect the sentiments of people in Telangana region. This is what is required of a disciplined worker of Telugu Desam party.
I will meet Harikrishna and try to convince him on my point of view. I do not want to have any confrontation with him. I will talk to him and try to make him see reason in my argument. I hope he would react positively.
–Agencies–