Rajahmundry: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reiterated his commitment to fight against the Centre to keep the state united to ensure that all the regions in the state develop equally.
Addressing a gathering at Rachchabanda mass contact programme held at Jagannadhapuram of Podur mandal in West Godavari on Friday, the Chief Minister said, “Andhra Pradesh is the third largest state in the country and as long as it remains united, it will be strong.
“It is only because of this strength, senior Congress leader late P.V. Narasimha Rao had become the prime minister of the country while another Congress leader late Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was honoured with the highest position of President of India. As long as we are united, the state remains strong and once it is bifurcated, nobody gives us any importance. Moreover, the proposed bifurcation of the state causes more loss to Telangana region than the residuary state.”
Turning emotional to the thunderous applause of the people, the Chief Minister said that if Telangana was formed, the people would fase shortage of power and water from the very first day.
He said that when the power consumption in Telangana region was 115 mw per day, only less then 50% was being generated and added that in case of water for irrigation also, the people would face shortage.
He said, ‘Had the state not been united, several multi-purpose projects like Najgarjunasagar would not have been executed. Nearly 5,000 TMC feet water drained into the sea this year and to avoid such wastage of water, we have proposed several projects like Polavaram, Pulichinthala and Dummugudem.”
The Chief Minister said, “The government of the day is supposed to take a decision to benefit the people and if not so, it has to reconsider its decision. Though the Centre has taken a decision to bifurcate the state, we will fight against it while serving as members of the party. It is time, both the Congress leadership and the Centre reconsider their decision on Telangana. I, along with other leaders on the dias, are not longing to be in power. We are all united with one agenda to keep the state united. I will be meeting the Group of Ministers formed on Telangana on November 18 to explain in detail as to why I am insisting for the state to remain united.”
On the other hand, the CM defended the Congress leadership by saying that it took such a decision favouring formation of Telangana only after getting opinion from other political parties in the state.
Kiran Kumar Reddy was critical against Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu on his stand on T by stating that the people in the state were unable to understand whether Naidu was favouring the state to be united or bifurcated. He also faulted the YSR Congress for changing its stand by asking for equanimity on the issue.
