Former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday said his new political outfit is “Jai Samaikyandhra Party”. It will have the tagline: “Telugu Vaari Atma Gouravam” (Pride of Telugus).
Announcing his party’s name at a press conference here on Monday, flanked by Sabbam Hari and Lagadapati Rajagopal, Kiran Reddy said the party would work for the unity and betterment of Telugu-speaking people.
He said he would disclose party policies during a public meeting at Rajahmundry on March 12.
Kiran Reddy made mockery of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s appeal asking him to support the TDP to strengthen Telugus.
“It will be an insult to work with Naidu, who has betrayed Telugus. He is the prime culprit behind the division of the state. How can he expect me to work with him?” Kiran Reddy asked.
The former chief minister pointed out that the TDP chief did not even express his views on bifurcation when the T-bill was debated in Assembly.
Taking exception to Naidu’s remark that new parties would be non-starters, Kiran Reddy asked Naidu to look into his own past when his career as MLA began with the then new party, the Congress (I), in 1978.
“If Naidu could decide the fate of political parties, how come his own party remained in opposition for 10 long years!” he wondered.
Shifting his attack to TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, Kiran Reddy called Rao a lier, saying, “KCR had hoodwinked the people of Telangana with lies when he had led the T-movement.”
“Even now, the TRS chief is trying to deceive people by telling them cock-and-bull stories. How could he promise irrigation for 12 lakh acres after coming to power when the T-state loses its current share of Krishna waters, being an upper riparian after bifurcation?” he asked.
Lagadapati is Ideologue
Kiran Reddy divulged that he is the president of the new party, whereas former MP Ch Srihari is the founder-president. MPs Vundavalli Arun Kumar, GV Harsha Kumar, Sabbam Hari and A Sai Pratap, and former ministers Pithani Satyanarayana and Sake Sailajanath are vice-presidents. MP Lagadapati Rajagopal will act as party ideologue, he said.
More Aspirants from Telangana
Claiming that several aspirants are applying for party nomination to contest the polls, Kiran Reddy said a majority of the applicants are from Telangana. “Unlike some other parties, we don’t put our party nominations on sale. There is also no advance bookings. We will field as party candidates those who work for the people,” he said. Stating that he would encourage new leaders, particularly from among students, youth, women and employees, Kiran Reddy said, “Our party will herald a new era in politics. We will adopt innovative methods to make the party reach the people.”
Berlin Wall
Kiran Reddy displayed a piece of Berlin wall which was destroyed in 1990 during the unification of East and West Germany and said like the Berlin wall was pulled down, the Samiakyandhra movement will once again unite the people of Seemandhra and Telangana. “The new Samaikya movement will emerge from Telangana as division of AP will prove detrimental to it in all fronts,” he said
No Homework
Taking a dig at Union minister Jairam Ramesh, Kiran Reddy said the Centre had done no homework while bifurcating the state. “A day after Parliament had passed the T-bill, the Union Cabinet brought an ordinance making an amendment to the bill to transfer some villages from Telangana to Seemandhra to facilitate Polavaram project. This itself proves lack of proper homework ,” he said.
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