The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : YSR expresses anguish over the killing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR expresses anguish over the killing

Special Correspondent

`My association with Suryapratap Reddy spans over four decades'

CLEARING THE AIR: Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy interacting with the Telugu Desam Party delegation in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Photo Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has expressed anguish over the murder of former MLA K. Suryapratap Reddy at Tadipatri.

In a statement here on Tuesday, Dr. Reddy said the news came as a shock to him in the morning. Recalling his long association with him, Dr. Reddy said: "I have known him for more than four decades. Though he changed his political loyalties due to unavoidable circumstances, he remained close to me. I even got sanctioned up to Rs. 4 lakhs for his treatment from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund a year ago. Yet, Telugu Desam leaders blame me for his killing."

TDP charge refuted

Dr. Reddy said his Government was working towards establishing peace in Rayalaseema region by eliminating factionalism. "Unfortunately TDP leaders are talking about the Government's complicity in the murder. There is no need for the Government to resort to killings. Is it proper for TDP leaders to talk in such fashion while I am in deep sorrow over my close friend's death?"

Recalling his appeal to the political parties to cooperate with the Government in putting and end to faction violence in the region, he said the TDP had ignored his plea in the aftermath of Paritala Ravindra's killing.

Asking the TDP leaders to stop displaying a false concern over the murder, he said "where were you when Suryapratap Reddy was in the hospital or in trouble. He was our man to the core and remained so though he changed his political identity due to pressures".

Attributing the violence in the region to the unholy nexus between politics and factionalism, Dr. Reddy hit back at the TDP leaders who met him to present a memorandum in this regard.

TDP blamed

Questioning the stand taken by the TDP leaders in awarding tickets to those with faction history he said "we denied tickets to those with faction history in Penukonda after Paritala's murder. Could not you have done the same ? It had its repercussions for you in the municipal elections.

At least beware of the fallout of encouraging factionalism in the panchayat elections".

In a separate press release the Chief Whip, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, blamed the TDP for the faction violence in Rayalaseema.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail