With both he and his party coming under fire on the Telangana issue, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded that the Centre immediately take a decision on the contentious statehood demand, now that all political parties and other stakeholders have clearly spelt out their views.
“The Government of India is unable to take a decision on the Telangana issue. The Congress should take responsibility for this because it has pushed Andhra Pradesh into a state of instability through its indecisiveness. The Congress is playing havoc with the lives of Telugu people,” Mr. Chandrababu lashed out in his inaugural address at the TDP’s annual conclave ‘Mahanadu’ at Gandipet in Hyderabad.
He alleged that the Congress was politicising the Telangana issue now after having made several claims in the past.
“The Congress can’t change history. It was the one which came out with a statement on Telangana on December 9, 2009 and later went back and kept its decision in abeyance since there is division in political parties. Now, all the parties have expressed their views to the Srikrishna Committee and it is for the Centre to take a decision on Telangana,” Mr. Chandrababu asserted.
Trying to ward off criticism against him on the statehood issue, Mr. Chandrababu observed: “As party president it is my responsibility to protect TDP in both the regions of the State. I can’t speak in favour of any particular region. But I am deeply pained at what’s happening in the State.”
Maintaining that Telangana statehood was a “sensitive issue” in which “sentiments” were involved, he said everyone should give think prudently on it.
Coming down heavily on the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the TDP chief said the separatist party’s merger with the Congress was imminent.
“Why is the TRS not questioning Sonia Gandhi on the statehood issue? Instead of taking on the Congress for remaining indifferent, the TRS is trying to target the TDP.
The TRS is talking of burying the TDP in Telangana but no force can do it as the people are with us,” Mr. Chandrababu asserted. (PTI)
