Botsa raises suspicion over Jagan's fast

Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday raised suspicion over the indefinite hunger strike undertaken by YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy in Chanchalguda Jail in protest against the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here, Botsa said that Jagan's protest was going on within four walls and nobody knows whether Jagan was genuinely observing hunger fast or not. He said it was sad that an individual who indulged in corruption to loot public money was being compared with Mahatma Gandhi for his hunger fast.

Botsa praised Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for passing the Food Security Bill in Parliament. He said that despite ill-health Sonia Gandhi took part in nine-hour long debate and ensured that the Bill, which benefits crores of poor people, gets passed. He said the Congress party was able to defeat the opposition parties' plot to stall the Bill in Parliament.

The PCC chief also denied allegations leveled by Union Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo stating that he was backing the Samaikhyandhra agitation to become the Chief Minister of Seemandhra State in future. He said that he never opposed the decision taken by Congress Working Committee on Telangana issue. However, he said he asked the Congress High Command to take into the considerations the concerns of Seemandhra region before taking a final decision on bifurcation of State. He refused to comment when asked as to why a Peace Rally by pro-Telangana was not permitted in Hyderabad while massive agitation was being allowed in Seemandhra region.

Botsa also condemned the attack on Seemandhra advocates by the Telangana lawyers at APNGOs Bhavan on Sunday. He demanded that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy take steps to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

When asked for reaction on the decision of Dharmavaram MLA Kethireddy Venkatarami Reddy to quit Congress to join the YSRCP, Botsa said that although the exit of some leaders damage the party to some extent, but in the longer run the cadre remains undisturbed.