Who sowed T seed?

• YSRCP joins debate on draft T Bill

• Blames Cong, TDP for present turmoil

• TDP MLA Narendra says it was YSR who sowed the T seed

• Sailajanath rejects claims of both YSRCP and TDP

Hyderabad: The YSR Congress Party finally joined the debate on the draft Telangana Bill in the Assembly on Saturday, but instead of discussing the provisions of the Bill, the debate centered on the controversy of who had sowed the seed for the demand of separate Telangana.

YSRCP leader B Karunakar Reddy alleged that the Congress and TDP were trying to create an impression that it was YS Rajasekhar Reddy who was responsible for the present turmoil in the State. He said, on the contrary, YSR strived for the development of the backward region by allocating sufficient funds for the region.

He said efforts were also on to paint the YSRCP as a party that was helping the Centre in the process of bifurcation. He said, unlike the TDP, the YSRCP did not adopt a two-eyed policy. It was always in favour of united Andhra, he added.

He said if anyone had to be blamed for the present situation in the State it should be the Congress party which had betrayed the Telugu speaking people by dividing the State for votes and seats. Interrupting Reddy, TDP senior leader R Chandrasekhar Reddy said that the YSRCP was trying to mislead the House. He said YSR party had adopted a resolution in its first plenary at Idupulapaya that the party was not against Telangana. The party also submitted a letter to the Centre in support of bifurcation at the all-party meeting. The party honorary president stated during her visit to Telangana that the party recognises the sentiments of the people of the region.

Minister for Legislative Affairs S Sailajanath claimed that neither the TDP nor the YSRCP had the commitment towards united Andhra. He claimed that it was only the Seemandhra Congress leaders who had defied the Congress high command against the bifurcation of the State and fighting against it. He pointed out that Jagan himself made a statement that he had no power to stop the bifurcation and that it was for the Centre to take a decision.

Another TDP MLA D Narendra said that it was YSR who forged alliance with TRS and came to power in the State in 2004. “It is YSR who sowed the seeds of Telangana,” he said. In a quick rebuttal, the YSRCP MLA said that it was TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who demanded package for Seemandhra immediately after the Centre announced Telangana. The TDP, he said, thought that YSRCP was its enemy and not an opposition party. He demanded that Naidu make a statement in support of united Andhra and prove his sincerity.

The bifurcation of State would not have taken place if the ministers from Seemandhra had quit their posts, he said.

Reddy’s comment that the Seemandhra Congress leaders were playing the role of “talari” (executor) to hang the Seemandhra people, received sharp criticism from Saialajanath. He said Reddy had displayed his mindset of being a feudalist.