The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress flayed for confusing stand on unity of State

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Thursday, Jun 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Congress flayed for confusing stand on unity of State

Staff Reporter

Party leaders speaking in different voices, says Coasta Vedika

BHIMAVARAM: The Congress was the target of the attack of integrationists for lacking "clarity'' on the unity of the State at a round table conference held here on Wednesday under the aegis of "Coasta Vedika.''

The programme was attended by leaders from almost all the mainstream political parties, including the Congress, TDP and BJP, peasant leaders, academics, media and freedom fighters from the coastal region. Notable among those present were Kanumuri Bapi Raju (Congress), Minte Padmabadham, Yarra Narayana Swamy and Yerneni Nagendranath (all from TDP), Ch.V.P Murthy Raju (Gandhian and Sarvodaya leader) and Potturi Venkateswara Rao (senior journalist).

Delivering the presidential address, the Coasta Vedika founder, Yalamanchili Sivaji, regretted that the Congress leaders at the State and Central level were speaking in different voices on the cause of "Samaikhya Andhra.''

Ambiguous stand

The demand for separate Telangana, espoused by the TRS, an ally of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre, was `positively' mentioned in its National Common Minimum Programme (NMCP) and in the budget-eve President's address to Parliament, besides constitution of a Cabinet Sub Committee. Notwithstanding all such signs in support of the demand, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, kept stating that the Congress was committed to the outcome of the Second State Reorganisation Committee on the issue, Mr Sivaji observed.

The former Minister, Kanumuri Bapiraju, remained mum on the observations made by Mr Sivaji against his party. He, however, stated that he would not mind renouncing his long political association with his party if the situation "warranted,'' in the larger interests of the State.

Divided view

Meanwhile, the speakers were divided on the question whether the State should remain united or suffer disintegration. The former Union Minister, S.P.B.B.K. Satyanarayana Rao, retired judge of the High Court, B.S.A. Swamy, and Mr Murthy Raju saw development of the coastal region only in division of the State, while Mr Narayana Swamy and peasant leader, Mantena Suryanarayana Raju, differed with them and defended the unity of the State.

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