Describing the arrest of its honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma as an act of state sponsored, YSR Congress Party on Friday demanded N Kiran Kumar Reddy to quit his post immediately as he failed to act as the Chief Minister of a unified State.
Party senior leader Konatala Ramakrishna told press persons here that Kiran Kumar, acting in the garb of a champion of the united AP, misused the police and government machinery to get Vijayamma arrested and prevent her from visiting the flood-hit areas of Nalgonda district.
“When Chandrababu Naidu was allowed to tour in the Telangana districts, why can’t our leaders tour? Why this discrimination and political victimization?” he asked the Government. At a time when all parties and leaders should express their solidarity and support to the flood victims and farmers who suffered heavy losses, Vijayamma under took the tour of the Khammam and Nalgonda districts also as part her 4-day tour across the state, he said.
While the people of Khammam wholeheartedly welcomed her and explained their problems, Congress feared that she might get the same popular response in Nalgonda district also. “We don’t find any other reason for her arrest except that Congress is terrified of the popularity of our party even in Telangana,” he said, adding, that the arrest is totally unjustified, unwarranted and undemocratic.
It is very sad and shameful that she was prevented from reaching the affected people, he said and asked: “Are we living in a democratic state or a dictator-set up? Is Telangana not part of Andhra Pradesh? Don’t we have the right to visit the Telangana districts?”
The way Government acted and misused its police and official machinery for arresting and preventing her from visiting the Nalgonda district gives the feeling that the state is already divided, he remarked.
Charging Chandrababu Naidu and Kiran Kumar with facilitating the process of bifurcation of the state smoothly, Ramakrishna said both of them are hoodwinking the people.
“Kiran is wearing the mask of an integrationist while Naidu is also helping Congress high command to speed up the process of bifurcation. Naidu’s statement that Centre is planning to hold another all party meet only to corner TDP is ridiculous,” he averred.
The Union Cabinet approved Cabinet note on bifurcation only after Naidu’s Delhi trip, he said adding that Government announced the constitution of GoM only after Naidu began his Deeksha in Delhi. “And now as per his earlier demand only, the Home Ministry is also convening another all party meet,” he observed.
Ramakrishna confirmed that the party had received the letter from the Union Home Ministry eliciting suggestions and proposals on 11 points concerning the division. “There is no change in our stand that the state must be kept united. The contents of the letter will be discussed in the party and the party leadership will take a decision.”