Deccan NEWS

Telugu Desam Party, which does not lose any opportunity to run down the YSR Congress party and its president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, has got yet another such opportunity.

Taking advantage of the YSR Congress party’s latest friendship with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the TDP leaders are seeking to paint communal colour to the Jagan party. “No wonder, the YSR Congress party is not vehemently condemning the inflammatory comments of Akbaruddin whipping up communal passions; because, the party itself is communal,” said senior TDP leader Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy in a television debate on Friday.

He alleged that the YSR Congress party had been using Christianity to garner votes.

“Its honorary president Y S Vijayalakshmi attends the public meetings with Holy Bible in her hands. Her son-in-law Anil Kumar asks the people attending his gospel meetings to take an oath on the Bible that they would vote for YSR Congress party. Now, the party is joining hands with the MIM to garner Muslim votes,” Somireddy said.

YSR Congress leader G Srikanth Reddy condemned Somireddy’s observations.

“There is no connection with the personal faith of Vijayamma and the party. It is ridiculous that Somireddy has stooped to the level of making personal allegations,” he said.

Hailing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for pushing through a resolution in the Assembly on splitting the state, TRS today demanded that the Centre give its assent to it and also carve out a separate Telangana state. “TRS welcomes the decision of the UP Chief Minister. It is a bold step. It is very good for democracy. She has also reiterated her support to the formation of Telangana. For her act of kindness, I thank her,” TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao told reporters here before leaving for Delhi to attend the Parliament session. Demanding that the Centre accept the Telangana demand without any further delay, the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha MP said Congress would be “buried” in the region if it did not carve out the separate state. The TRS president said his party would “stall” Parliament session in support of its separate statehood demand. “My intention of going to Delhi is to stall the (proceedings of) Parliament and demand Telangana state. We hope the Centre will concede the demand of Telangana state,” he said. Rao said he would seek cooperation of Mayawati and BSP MPs in raising the Telangana demand during the Winter Session. Appreciating the BSP supremo for her move to pass a resolution in the UP Assembly for division of the state, he said smaller states would ensure faster development. Asked about reports that the Centre was contemplating appointing a States’ Reorganisation Commission (SRC) or a regional council for the region, Rao claimed that the Centre had already “announced that it will form” a separate Telangana state. “The AICC spokesman has already said SRC will not be appointed over Telangana issue. It is good if they form separate Telangana as per their promise without any delay,” he added.

The TDP has decided to take on Congress president Sonia Gandhi by filing a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a detailed probe into her assets and the various trusts run under her name as well as against her son-in-law Robert Vadra.

Sources said TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is in New Delhi, is busy discussing his strategy with political allies as to how to coordinate the campaign. “Very soon, the TDP will move the apex court seeking an inquiry into the assets of Sonia and Robert Vadra and the donations received by different trusts managed by various Congress leaders including Motilal Vora and Ahmed Patel,” top sources in the party told. TDP is now finalizing the names of the leaders who will file the petition in the apex court. The names of TDP Parliamentary party leader Nama Nageswara Rao, former leader K Yerrannaidu and former state assembly speaker Yanamala Ramakrsihnudu are under consideration of the party. The sources claimed that the TDP has already collected enough evidence on the trusts being run by the Sonia family and that in the petition, the party would seek a probe into the donations that the trusts received from corporate houses and individuals for the last 20 years.

The TDP is in touch with Janata Party leader Subramanya Swamy who reportedly collected vital information on the companies in which Robert Vadra has some stake. Swamy, according to the TDP sources, has collected sufficient information to prove that Robert Vadra was involved in the 2G scam and that some of his companies benefited with the allocation of the 2G spectrum.

The TDP is now scouting for a senior advocate who can take up their case and the sources claimed that there will be a forward movement on the issue in the next week to a fortnight.

Former minister Komatreddy Venkat Reddy on Tuesday announced that he would resign from the primary membership of the Congress party if the High Command takes a decision against the formation of Telangana state.

Talking to reporter at the TNGOs Office here, Venkat Reddy said that the Congress High Command was expected to announce its decision on Telangana statehood issue in the first week of November. However, if the decision goes against the interest of Telangana, then he would immediately resign from the party's primary membership.

The former minister said that he came to the TNGOs office to seek the support of government employees for the indefinite hunger fast that he would undertake from November 1 at Nalgonda along with one lakh supporters. He warned the State Government of dire consequences if it tries to sabotage or foils his hunger fast.

Meanwhile, the TNGOs have announced their support to Venkat Reddy's proposed fast. However, the former minister was not sure whether other political leaders would support his move. He said when the political leaders ignored the strike by thousand of Telangana employees, there was little possibility that they would support his hunger strike