HYDERABAD: Overcoming their inhibitions in allaying the fears of Seemandhra people living in Telangana, particularly in Hyderabad, the TS Congress leaders on Monday openly vowed to stand for the rights of Andhras in the new State henceforth.
They even passed a resolution in the final day session of the TPCC brainstorming meeting to this effect and sent out clear signals to the TRS government that the TPCC would also fight for the rights of the Andhras in the new State.
Eying the ensuing polls to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in which Andhra people constitute a fairly large number of population, for the first time after the general polls, Telangana Congress leaders alleged that the TRS government was trying to create a sense of insecurity among the Seemandhras in Hyderabad with its recent decisions.
The TS Congress leaders such as TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Danam Nagender, who had been hesitating to openly attack the ruling TRS in the new State till the other day, took potshots at the recent decisions of the State government on Monday.
Giving further strength to the T-Congress leaders, AICC state affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh too joined chorus with them in stating that their party would not allow the TS government to take decisions which alienate Andhras in the new State from the rest of the people of the Telangana.
While delivering the concluding address during the second and final day of the two-day brainstorming session of the TPCC, held at Ibrahimpatnam on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Monday, Digvijaya Singh said, “If the Telangana government tries to differentiate between the people in the new State, Congress party would fight against such acts.”
Stating that the Constitution has provided rights to every citizen of the country to live anywhere in the country, Digvijaya said the Congress would stand for the rights of Seemandhra people in Hyderabad.
“Anyone can live in Hyderabad and do business. If the government shows any form of discrimination towards anybody, the Congress will fight it,” Digvijaya said.
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL
The Congress leaders passed a resolution stating that every person from other States, who had made Telangana his home, will have full rights on a par with the natives of the State. If the TS government adopts any sort of discriminatory attitude against the people of Seemandhra, living in Hyderabad or somewhere else in Telangana, the Congress will not keep quiet, the TPCC leaders proclaimed in their resolution.
POACHING
Party heavyweight D Srinivas alleged that the TRS was trying to poach leaders from the Congress. He asked party leaders and cadre not to fall prey to the game plan of the pink party.
TRS POLL PROMISES
TS Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader K Jana Reddy, who had been adopting a cautious approach on criticising the policies of TRS government, on Monday, made it clear that henceforth his party would not remain silent if the State government implemented ‘anti-people’ policies. Sending out a clear signal that the Congress had decided to launch an all-out attack on the TRS government hereafter, Jana Reddy demanded that the government implement all its poll promises.
PONNALA OUT?
Lending credence to the speculation that the AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh had come to Hyderabad only to decide whether to replace Ponnala Lakshmaiah as the TPCC chief, Digvijaya Singh on Monday assigned the responsibility of finalising the party candidate for the ensuing Medak Lok Sabha bypoll to CLP leader K Jana Reddy, instead of handing it over to Ponnala. Asking TS Congress leaders to tour the Medak LS segment vigorously to make the party win the bypoll, the AICC point man disclosed that Jana Reddy would decide the party’s nominee for the election.
REASONS FOR DEFEAT
During the final day session of the TPCC brainstorming meet, several party seniors addressed the cadre and tried to give their own reasoning for the party’s humiliating defeat in the general polls. Former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy felt the delay in the preparation of party’s manifesto during the polls had a negative impact on its electoral prospects. Former minister J Geeta Reddy wanted the party leadership to give due share to SCs and STs in party posts. She demanded a special wing be set up in the party to study the issues related to implementation of SC/ST sub-plan. Former Speaker KR Suresh Reddy wanted the party to have its own TV channel and newspaper. He also called upon party workers to donate `1,000 each for establishing the TV channel and daily.