Hyderabad, January 03: For a change proving equal to the wiles of K Chandrasekhar Rao, the TDP today responded to his demand that only one rep per party be invited to the all-party meeting on the Srikrishna report on Jan 6 by suggesting that that one rep be the respective party’s president. That would mean that Sonia Gandhi would have to represent the Congress party at the meeting.
Speaking to reporters here today, TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy said that TDP boss president Chandrababu Naidu would be happy to represent the TDP as he is its president — if Sonia would represent the Congress. He pointed out that it was the ruling Congress’s problem to take a decision on the creation of Telangana, it would be in the fitness of things for Sonia Gandhi to reveal her mind on the issue. Clever tricks apart, in TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s demand that only one leader be invited to the meeting from each party, Revanth Reddy saw only a disguised move to shield Sonia Gandhi. When two reps were invited from each political party in the past, KCR had never objected. Why now, Revanth Reddy wondered.
“The TDP has made it stand clear on T in its election manifesto. We will extend all the help in carving out a separate state through a constitutional process,” Revanth Reddy said. He clarified that if a Bill was introduced in Parliament, the TDP would support it.
Revanth Reddy came down heavily on TRS chief for not questioning the silence of the only Union cabinet minister from Telangana S Jaipal Reddy for not uttering a single word in favour of Telangana. On the other hand, he had praised Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for making it clear that he stands for a united Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP MLA said it was for the ruling party to take the initiative on Telangana as has been the precedent so far. If the Congress and the BJP supported the T-Bill, it would get 326 votes. So, the Congress can deliver T even without the support of the TDP. “We have only one percent representation in the Lok Sabha. We cannot make or stop Telangana,” Revanth Reddy said. He also demanded that the Congress should support the private members’ Bill on T being introduced in the budget session by the BJP. Revanth Reddy also objected to the TRS chief’s silence over deployment of Central forces in Telangana. This was a war against the people, he said. “The TRS chief, who threatened a civil war in the region, has not uttered a single word against the paramilitary forces. That exposes his true colours,” Revanth Reddy alleged.
—Agencies