Eight days into his `Mee Kosam Vastunna’ padayatra in Telangana region, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu chose to give more clarity on his party’s stand on the separate statehood issue and also lashed out at the opposition parties for wooing the party MLAs in other regions after his party’s support to Telangana. “We will never oppose separate Telangana in future,” he announced on Monday.
After covering Gadwal constituency for the past one week, Naidu’s yatra entered the Makthal Assembly constituency on Monday. Though TDP leaders anticipated that Naidu’s walkathon would slow down owing to health reasons, Naidu picked up speed and covered 21 km.
Naidu’s tour started at Chinnapadu village under Gadwal constituency, where he stayed Sunday night, and covered Emgomepally and Chinteranda villages and passing over Jurala entered the Makthal constituency in which he walked through Nandimalla Camp before resting at the Moolamalla Hanuman temple for the night.
Speaking at Emgomepally, Naidu said the party never opposed a separate Telangana. “We will not oppose separate Telangana in future also,” said Naidu giving more clarity over the party’s stand on the issue. Naidu said that his party is committed to the stand taken on Telangana in 2009. “In our letter, we gave our consent for creation of a separate Telangana and we have even demanded carving out a separate state. We abide by it today also,” he said.
“After our recent announcement on convening an all-party meet on Telangana issue, other parties have started wooing three of our MLAs (in Seemandhra region),” Naidu said indirectly referring to his party MLAs from Eluru and Chittoor trying to defect to another party.
Naidu reiterated that the TDP is the party which developed region. “I have even challenged former chief minister the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy for a debate over the issue. But he did not dare come for one,” Naidu said.
Naidu interacted with farmers and agricultural labour working in the fields, those running roadside kirana stores on the village outskirts and even with those travelling in two and four-wheelers. Naidu also boarded a passing RTC bus and spoke with the passengers. He rode a bullock cart too.
Naidu said the TDP, if voted to power, would strive for the development of Valmiki community. Monday was the birth anniversary of poet Valmiki.