Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy today sent out a clear message particularly to the Congress high command that the party should respect the wishes of the people of the state and should not go ahead with the creation of the Telangana state.
"Rejection of the Telangana Bill in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is an indication that the people of the state wants an united state. Unlike other states, there is a peculiar situation in Andhra Pradesh as there is no recommendation from the state Legislature for bifurcation," Reddy told CNN-IBN in an exclusive interview.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Image courtesy PIB
"In such a situation, the President (of India Pranab Mukhjerjee) should not forward it to Parliament," he said.
In a major embarrassment to the Congress party, the Andhra Pradesh legislature today rejected the Telangana bill by voice vote. The 279-member state assembly has 160 MLAs from Seemandhra, the region which is against the division of the state. On 30 July last year, the Congress Working Committee had endorsed a decision to create India's 29th state, Telangana, by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
Ignoring the threat to his own political career, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister made it clear to the Congress top brass that going ahead with the Telangana will not only harm the new state but also the Seemandhra region.
"I am not worried about my own future. I will quit politics. I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. After 57 years you cannot tell me I don't belong to this state. I have strong objection to this," Reddy said. "Telangana is a mistake of the Congress leadership. Andhra Pradesh cannot be divided just like that. The pride of the Telugu people cannot be decided in Delhi. Congress should respect the Assembly's feeling," the chief minister said in no uncertain terms.
"I have been made chief minister by the Congress party to look after my people. I represent the will of the people of my state. I am having discussions with MLAs and MPs from the state and we are determined to protect the interest of Andhra Pradesh at any cost," Reddy said not revealing much about his next strategy if the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 is placed in the Budget Session of Parliament.
The strong words from the Andhra Pradesh chief minister is likely to set the alarm bells in the Congress power corridor ringing. The party is facing trouble both in Telangana and Seemandhra regions ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year. Andhra Pradesh has 42 seats in Lok Sabha.
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