Jagan targets Sonia

“Someone wanted their son to become the Prime Minister, and hence divided the State”

For the first time, YSR Congress Party President and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has made harsh remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi for deciding to divide the State. Launching an indefinite fast at his Lotus Pond residence here on Saturday, opposing the decision of the Centre to bifurcate the State, he said, “Someone wanted their son to become the Prime Minister, and hence divided the State.” He told a gathering consisting of party workers and leaders that his party would challenge the Union Cabinet decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, in the Supreme Court.

It may be recalled that TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu has for some time been harshly lambasting the YSRCP for keeping mum on Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi.

He even alleges a conspiracy by the Congress and the YSRCP to join hands after the bifurcation, which he said is being done solely to counter TDP’s influence in the Seemandhra region.

Jagan said the unilateral decision to divide the State is not acceptable to more than 60 per cent of the people in the State. “Seemandhra has been on the emotional surge for more than 60 days with unabated protests, dharnas and strikes. But the Centre has so far not taken note of the ongoing agitation and is provoking the people further by claiming that it would go ahead with the process.”

Referring to the announcement that a Group of Ministers (GoM) would address the apprehensions of the Seemandhra people and give a report within six weeks, Jagan wondered how the GoM can find solutions to the contentious issues in just so little a time. There are legal problems involved in the division of the State. They need to be resolved first, he felt.

Accusing Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy of being responsible for the present political uncertainty and unrest in Seemandhra region, Jagan said his party had demanded that the Assembly be convened to pass a resolution against the bifurcation. But the State Government did not pay heed to its plea. Jagan also mentioned some reports that the process of bifurcation would be carried forward even without moving a resolution in the Assembly. “Unfortunately, no one is talking about this issue. Why is the Centre not talking of carving out Bodoland, Gorkhaland or Vidharbha states?” he asked.

Jagan further said that he would send a delegation of senior party leaders to Delhi to request all the floor leaders to express solidarity with the ongoing agitation in Seemandhra. He dared Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw the letter submitted to Centre in support of separate Telangana during the all-party meeting held by Union Home ministry. “If Naidu agrees to this demand, my party will extend support to the TDP’s fight against State’s division,” he said.

Several party leaders including MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and other senior leaders joined Jagan in his fast at a specially erected deeksha platform. Jagan kick-started his fast at 11.30 am, after paying homage to his late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

In view of threats by pro-Telangana parties that they would disrupt the fast, police made elaborate security arrangements around the venue to avoid any untoward incident. This is the second time that Jagan is undertaking an indefinite fast on the issue. Last month, he went on an indefinite hunger strike in Chanchalguda Jail, where he was lodged as an under-trial in an alleged disproportionate assets case against him, but it was foiled on the fifth day.