Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday said he would give a “return gift” to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu, after successfully turning the state elections into a battle between himself, a man from Telangana, and Mr Naidu, a man from Andhra Pradesh without TS’ interests at heart.
Responding with sarcasm to Mr Naidu’s wishing him on his victory earlier in the day, Mr Rao said, “I will surely give him a return gift,” by which he meant he would “intervene” in AP politics.
While replying to a question at a press conference at Telangana Bhavan about Mr Naidu taking part in the political campaign, Mr Rao said, “I also want prosperity for the Telugu people. Without any doubt I will be involved in Andhra Pradesh politics, as Chandrababu is involved here.”
He said that his cellphone was jammed with more than one lakh messages from people from Andhra demanding that he play a role in Andhra politics.
He said in the wake of revamping national politics he would visit AP and when Mr Naidu came to Telangana he would go to AP to return the favour. If he didn’t give a return gift, people would call him uncivilised, he added.
Responding humorously to a query on why he keeps away from visiting the secretariat, he said, “Why do you want to send me to the secretariat? A CM is a CM wherever he is. Wherever he sits, it is his office.”
Mr Rao praised Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen (MIM) president and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and said, “He is a visionary and intellectual, who wants oneness. He is not a fundamentalist, but a secular person. I and Asaduddin will work on the future plan of bringing change in national politics and travel across the country and do what it takes to unite people and educate them about the changes. India needs to come out of the routine.”
He said, “My friend Asaduddin Owaisi and I discussed yesterday how to unite minorities - whether Muslims or Christians or others - and how divisive politics have destroyed India.”
