The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Don’t embarrass Naidu, Nagam appeals to leaders

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Don’t embarrass Naidu, Nagam appeals to leaders

Rajeswara Rao, Kadiam express solidarity with Goud

HYDERABAD: Senior Telugu Desam leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy has asked fellow partymen from Telangana not to embarrass party president N. Chandrababu Naidu or weaken the party by publicly airing their views on separate statehood .

His appeal is seen against the backdrop of senior leaders Ch. Rajeswara Rao, a staunch integrationist earlier and Kadiam Srihari issuing elaborate statements on why the TDP leadership should take a strong position at the earliest in favour of separate Telangana. In effect, they also expressed solidarity with T. Devender Goud, who is known to be unhappy at the party’s core committee postponing its decision on Telangana.

Sensitive issue

Although Mr. Naidu’s repeated appeals to senior leaders to exercise discretion while speaking on the Telangana issue had no impact whatsoever, Dr. Janardhan Reddy made a plea on his own. The Telangana issue, he said at a press conference here on Saturday, was a sensitive one and conclusions could not be drawn in haste.

“Being a leader-based party, any embarrassment to Mr. Naidu should be avoided and the party leaders should work to protect ‘his image.’ Moreover, Mr. Naidu had clarified that he was not against separate Telangana and had assured them that a decision would be taken after eliciting views of all the concerned.

“How appropriate will it be for me to voice by views on Telangana when I am a member of the five-man committee constituted to take views of the rank and file?” Dr. Reddy asked. Though Dr. Reddy maintained that his comments were not directed at any one, it was evident that he was referring to Mr. Goud, who was the other leader from Telangana in the committee.

The TDLP deputy leader gave a guarded reply when asked whether he foresaw the exit of a section of leaders from the party over the Telangana issue. “Where is the need for anybody to leave the party when the leadership has not announced a clear stand on the issue?”

Joint decisions

Telugu Desam Party legislator P.V. Krishna Rao has faulted senior Telangana leaders like Ch. Rajeswar Rao and Kadiam Srihari for trying to “blackmail” the party leadership by insisting it to take a stand on separate Telangana.

In a statement, the TDP legislator from Kovvur described the Telugu Desam Party as a family where decisions were taken jointly, he asked the leaders whether it was appropriate to claim that there was no need to consult Andhra and Rayalaseema leaders.

He wondered as to what prompted the two leaders to say that Mr.Goud was not alone and said he was capable of taking his own decisions.

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