Former PCC President K Keshav Rao on Saturday claimed that it was the commitment of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao towards Telangana cause that drove him and two other Congress MPs - G Vivek and Manda Jagannatham to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
Talking to reporters in a Meet the Press programme, Keshav Rao praised KCR for trying to mobilise all pro-Telangana forces. He said KCR was even agreed to merge his party in the Congress to achieve statehood for the region. He said KCR's committment towards the cause was exemplary and therefore, they have decided to join him. However, he admitted that the "car" (TRS election symbol) they were boarding has some defects and they would try to rectify them.
Keshava Rao said that it was meaningless for him and the other MPs to sail with a party which lacked seriousness on the Telangana issue. He said that the Congress party would never concede Telangana. He also disclosed that he held negotiations with the BJP, which is committed for Telangana cause. However, he said he decided to join the TRS because of its secular credentials.
The former Rajya Sabha MP alleged that one group of Telangana Congress leaders was very close to the Congress High Command and it was creating hurdles. He slammed the Central leadership for not taking the Telangana issue seriously.
Nagarkurnool MP Manda Jagannatham said that the Congress High Command spoke to Eluru MP Karuvi Sambasiva Rao when he threatened to leave the party for denial of berth in the Central Cabinet. However, he said that the Congress High Command completely ignored the Telangana MPs when they threatened to quit over Telangana issue. Describing the party's behaviour as an insult, he said that the Congress party has proved that it was an anti-Telangana party. He also alleged that the Congress leadership insulted Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, a Dalit leader.
Peddapalli MP G Vivek said that he would pursue the goal of achieving statehood for the Telangana region and no post was important for him.