TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu called upon the Centre to consult all stakeholders while taking forward its decision to divide the State. In stark contrast to YSRC, he stressed the need for the Centre to hold a meeting of all joint action committees, students, and employees’ associations of both Seemandhra and Telangana to identify their concerns and address the same. Significantly, he suggested that politicians be kept away from such a meeting.
Launching his much-awaited Telugu Atma Gaurava Yatra at Pondugula in Dachepalli mandal, Guntur district, he was as frank as he could be. He admitted two things: One, he did prevent bifurcation of the State during the NDA regime, something he had been accused of but never acknowledged. Two, he had given a letter to the Centre endorsing a Telangana State.
Treading a fine line, he demanded that the UPA government ensure equal justice to Telangana and Seemandhra. Taking potshots at the YSRC, TRS and the Congress, he blamed the late YSR and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the proposed division of the State.
“When I insisted on keeping the State united, the Vajpayee government accepted it. But, State Congress leaders including Kiran Kumar Reddy could not prevail upon Sonia Gandhi to do the same. How can these leaders, who could not convince even their own high command, do justice to Telugus?,” Naidu asked. Trying to woo people in Telangana, he reminded them he had fought for their cause and was jailed for the first time during the Babli agitation. On TRS, he alleged, “It is there for packages and supports the Congress as does Jagan Mohan Reddy who needs bail.”
