Can't choose between T & Seemandhra: Naidu

• Non-committal on whether he is pro- or anti-Telangana
• “I am like a father forced to choose between two children”

Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is on an indefinite hunger strike against the creation of Telangana, on Tuesday remained evasive on the issue and instead said he "cannot choose between his two children", meaning Telangana and Seemandhra.

Calling the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana a Congress conspiracy and holding Sonia Gandhi responsible for the current situation in the state, the TDP chief said the decision was taken for political gains

"The Central government wants to merge with the TRS (in Telangana) and on the other hand they want to merge with the YSR Congress (in Seemandhra). There is 100 per cent match fixing between Congress, TRS and YSR Congress. I can say there is 100 per cent match fixing," he said in an interview to IBN18 Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai.

He added that an all-party meeting should have been called and the issue discussed with them. "The Central government should sort out the problem amicably." He said, "We are very clear, we are pro-Telangana, but the manner in which the decision was taken was wrong. The Central government should have taken views from both regions."

He accused Congress and his other rivals of playing politics even as Seemandhra has been boiling and people have been on roads protesting against Telangana.

The Cabinet has also faced embarrassment with five of its ministers from Seemandhra offering their resignations and appealing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to accept it. Naidu said, "People have been on the roads for 70 days, everything is at a standstill. There should be justice for everyone."

Naidu served notice to vacate AP Bhavan

New Delhi: As TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu’s fast protesting against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh entered the second day on Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh Government showed signs of a crackdown on his hunger strike camp.

As Andhra Pradesh Resident Commissioner Shashank Goel served a Notice on Chandrababu Naidu that no permission was given to him to stage his hunger-strike in the premises of the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, the TDP leader is understood to have shot off a missive to Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary. Striking back, the Resident Commissioner ordered suspending all amenities provided to Chandrababu Naidu. Turning the tables on the Congress Government, Chandrababu Naidu said, “Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh have backstabbed the self-respect and pride of the Andhra people. I have refused to leave the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, because as a Telugu man, where should I go to stage my protest?”

Chandrababu Naidu said his peaceful fast was for highlighting the cause of the people of Seemandhra, but the Andhra Pradesh Government was objecting to it. On the other hand, the Andhra Pradesh Government allowed YSRCP leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy when he was in jail, which is in contravention of the Jail Manual and is liable for prosecution. Facilitation of bail for Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and targeting him were indicative of the Congress gameplan, he said.

The Notice served by the Andhra Pradesh Resident Commissioner stated that permission was granted for holding a press conference on October 7. However, it stated that later on Chandrababu Naidu used the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan premises for staging a hunger strike, without the necessary permission from the authorities and in violation of all norms. The Notice further pointed out that since Delhi Assembly election schedule has been announced, the Model Code of Conduct comes into force. “As per the Election Commission instructions, the premises of State Bhavans cannot be used for any political activity, whatsoever. As such, the hunger-strike undertaken by you is in violation of the Model Code of Conduct,” it stated.

In the evening, INLD leader Abhay Chautala came, calling to express his party’s solidarity with Chandrababu Naidu.