YSR would have nipped T agitation in the bud: YSV

Former agriculture minister Ys Vivekananda Reddy on Friday stated that the agitation for separate Telangana statehood would not have reached such heights if his brother and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was in alive.

Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan after paying rich floral tributes to Dr YSR to mark his 62nd birth anniversary, Mr Vivekananda Reddy opined that the former chief minister would have been able to control the agitation for the division of state and stopped it from reaching the stage it is in today if he was alive.

He hinted that the development and welfare schemes launched by Dr YSR would have kept the separate statehood demand from being raised.

Recalling the innovative welfare schemes launched the former chief minister, Mr Vivekananda Reddy pointed out that Dr YSR had implemented the schemes for the benefit of poor and Backward Classes despite financial constraints.

Admitting that YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s quitting has indeed weakened the ruling Congress party, Mr Vivekananda Reddy stated that by doing so, the Kadapa MP was indirectly going against aspirations and schemes of YSR.

Mr Vivekananda Reddy further stated that he would be happy if Mr Jaganmohan Reddy introduces a resolution in favour of an integrated Andhra Pradesh in the party’s maiden plenary which began on Friday at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.

Stating that he was not looking for any posts to serve the people, Mr Vivekananda Reddy said that he would work for strengthening the party as a loyal worker and take the party programmes and schemes to grassroots level.

“Ensuring that the welfare schemes and programmes launched by Dr YSR reach the intended beneficiaries would be the real tribute to my brother,” he stated.