Sajjala's merger comment kicks up a political row
He was reacting to former Congress MP Undavalli Arun Kumar’s claim that the YSRCP has submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court, not to inquire into bifurcation issues
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Visakhapatnam: The recent remarks of YSRCP general secretary and Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on amalgamation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has raised a political storm in both the Telugu-speaking States eight years after the then Congress-led UPA Government adopted a bill in Lok Sabha on February 18, 2014 amid pandemonious scenes for bifurcation.
TDP president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is the latest to tweet saying it was an attempt by the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government to divert the attention from its failures in preventing suicide of farmers and other main issues.
He said it is really ridiculous that the State government is again talking about united Andhra Pradesh. The State that created history once in the progress of agriculture and aquaculture has recorded 1,673 suicides by farmers in the past three years, he said.
Sajjala reacted to the claim by former Congress MP Undavalli Arun Kumar that the YSRCP submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court not to inquire into bifurcation issues. The YSRCP leader was quoted as saying that his party would be happiest if both the States become one as they had fought for retaining united Andhra Pradesh as one State when a demand was made in Telangana for separation.
He said YSRCP strongly fought against division, which was made on unscientific lines and in an undemocratic manner. He also pointed out how the bifurcation promises had remained on paper even after division in 2014 and said his party would be the first to welcome if merger option was explored in future.
Reacting to Sajjala's remarks, Bharat Rashtra Samiti (erstwhile TRS) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is behind such ideas. On the other hand, the BJP said it is an attempt by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his AP counterpart and good friend Jagan, to divert attention from failures and also to help the BRS gain some mileage as the BRS leaders are allegedly involved in the Delhi liquor scam.
Telangana Power Minister Jagadish Reddy ridiculed Sajjala's statement and described it as foolish. "How is it possible? If such a thing happens Madras may demand Andhra Pradesh and England may also seek to take over India," he said with a note of sarcasm.
YSR Telangana Party president YS Sharmila, sister of Jagan Mohan Reddy, said Telangana was carved out after a lot of struggle and it was foolish to talk about merger of the two Telugu-speaking States. BRS MLC and Rythu Bandhu Chairman Palla Rajeswar Reddy said such controversial remarks are being made by an YSRCP leader at the behest of the Prime Minister to create confusion.
Telangana Congress Legislature Party leader Bhatti Vikramarka said merger of two States is a closed chapter and the statement was made by Sajjala with an ulterior motive to benefit YSRCP in 2024 elections.
