'Shut up', Naidu tells Kodali

Chittoor, Feb 9: None other than the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former chief minister, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday asked his party MLA and film-maker Kodali Venkateswara Rao alias Naani to hold his tongue.“Do not shoot your mouth in public and trigger controversies on sensitive issues when the State is on the boil,” Mr Chandrababu Naidu told Mr Kodali Naani. The TDP president, who is touring the district for the second day on Tuesday, spoke to media persons.

When the newsmen brought to his notice the remarks made by Mr Naani calling the people of Telangana as 'dogs', Mr Naidu strongly felt that the Gudivada MLA would not have made such unwarranted and provoking comments. “Both Telangana and Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra) are my two eyes. People of both the regions are equal to me. When the State is facing turbulent times on sensitive issues (like separate Telangana and United Andhra Pradesh), the remarks made my Mr Naani only added fuel to the fire,” he stated.

The Gudivada Legislator should observe restraint on such matters. Any provocative statement at this crucial juncture only trigger further trouble in the State, he remarked. What is significant is that Mr Naidu blasted Mr Naani at a time when the film producer is facing stiff opposition from all quarters, including those from his close aide, NTR Junior and hero of his recent flick “Adurs”.Mr Naani is a film-maker and his recent movie “Adurs” featuring Junior NTR had to face trouble in the Telangana region as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) activists, alleging that NTR Jr is an advocate of United Andhra Pradesh, have blocked its screening in the region.

The issue was resolved later and the film was released in the region.However, Mr Naani’s recent remarks on the people of Telangana have surprised many. He likened the people of the region to 'dogs' and cast aspersions on the Rosaiah Government. This has angered the TDP president.Mr Naidu refused to make any comment on the ongoing trouble in the State-- agitations for separate Telangana and a strong demand for United Andhra Pradesh. “I cannot make any comment on the matter now. But I asked my party leaders in the respective regions to strongly support the cause of their people,” he observed.