Zee Media Bureau
Hyderabad: YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday launched an indefinite hunger strike against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
"The main motive behind his agitation is to have a united Andhra Pradesh," Jagan said.
While holding Sonia Gandhi responsible for the `crisis` in the state and accusing her of exploiting sentiments of people to pave way for Rahul Gandhi to become prime minister, the YSR Congress leader said, "Why is no one talking about Bodoland, Gorkhaland or Vidarbha? We will be definitely going to the Supreme Court in protest. We are looking forward for some help, because this kind of arbitrarily doing, it is not helpful for the country. People are splitting this country for the sake of votes and seats."
Jagan also announced his party would challenge the Union Cabinet`s decision to grant Telangana in Supreme Court.
"Sonia Gandhi is responsible for the crisis in the state and she has been playing with the sentiments of people with the singular motive of seeing to it that her son Rahul Gandhi is made prime minister," Jagan alleged.
He added further, "We are doing it for a cause. The cause is to have the state united. If the state is bifurcated, we will not even have drinking water. This is a reality."
The YSRCP president, who began an indefinite fast at his Lotus Pond residence here at 11.30 AM, appealed to Sonia to reconsider the decision, saying creation of new state would badly affect the future generations of one region.
"We are opposing the unilateral manner in which the Centre is functioning. How can it go ahead with bifurcation process without a resolution in the state Assembly," he questioned.
Jagan, who is out on bail in a corruption case said, "We have never heard of an instance of state bifurcation without a resolution in the Assembly. The division is arbitrary in nature and does not address all issues that are bound to crop up after the bifurcation".
Appealing to Centre to rollback its decision to carve out Telangana, Jagan said, "the motive of the division could be political, but Delhi cannot play with the sentiments of the people of one region".
The YSR Congress chief, who had triggered speculation of possible political alignments after he recently praised BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as an "administrator", asked the saffron party, which has always been in favour of the separate state, to support the cause of united Andhra Pradesh.
"Why the Centre couldn`t change its decision when there is so much happening in the state? (and) when it could revoke the ordinance (aimed at protecting convicted lawmakers) on the intervention of Rahul Gandhi," Jagan said.
Bandh cripples Seemandhra
Meanwhile, normal life remained crippled for the second day today in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions where a shutdown is being observed to protest the Centre`s decision to bifurcate the state.
The YSR Congress has called for 72-hour shutdown in the non-Telangana regions
The Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers ( APNGO s) and other united- Andhra Pradesh supporters have given a 48-hour shutdown call.
Educational and commercial establishments remained closed in Seemandhra, where normal life was thrown out of gear.
Pallam Raju meets Sonia who advises him not to act in haste
Union Minister MM Pallam Raju, who announced his resignation over division of Andhra Pradesh, today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi who advised him "not to act in haste".
This is his second meeting with her in two days after being unhappy over the Centre`s decision to create Telangana and his decision to quit as HRD minister.
The meeting triggered speculation whether the party was trying to persuade him and other ministers from Seemandhra region not to press their resignation.
When he talked to reporters immediately after meeting Gandhi, Raju gave no indication of what he plans to do.
Seemandhra electricity employees on strike from Sunday
The electricity employees of Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions of Andhra Pradesh will go on indefinite strike from Sunday to protest the central government`s decision to carve out separate Telangana state.
Over 30,000 electricity employees in Seemandhra, as Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions are collectively known, are likely to join the strike called by Seemandhra electricity employees Joint Action Committee (JAC).
Hyderbad national city, not property of any region: Jaipal Reddy
Hyderabad, the city which is the bone of contention between Telangana and the rest of Andhra Pradesh in the proposed bifurcation of the state, belongs to all Indians and not to any region in particular, Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy said today.
"Constitutionally, Hyderabad is an Indian city. Like Bengaluru and Chennai, it has now become an international city, if we look at the business angle. For centuries, people from all parts of the country have been staying in Hyderabad," Reddy, the Union Science and Technology Minister, told a press conference here this evening.
"Hyderabad does not belong to either Telangana or to Seemandhra. It`s certainly not Telangana`s own property. All Indians constitutionally have an equal right over Hyderabad," he said.
Cabinet`s approval on `Telangana`
The Union Cabinet earlier on Thursday approved the creation of a new state of Telangana by bifurcating the existing state of Andhra Pradesh.
The city of Hyderabad will function as the common capital for both the states for a period of ten years.
The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of a Group of Ministers (GoM) to work out the various legal and administrative measures to ensure the safety and security of the residents of all the regions of the State including the guarantee of the Fundamental Rights.
The Union Cabinet further approved that the GoM will go into the various issues which concern both the States and suggest appropriate measures to address them.
The GoM will also work out the modalities for the provision of special financial disbursements required for the setting up of a new capital for the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh and to meet the special needs of the backward regions and districts of the two States.
With agency inputs
