YSRCP always stood for united AP, says Sajjala

Vijayawada: Advisor to the AP government (public affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy here on Thursday reiterated that his party always stood for 'Samaikya Andhra' and if an opportunity arose for the same, 'we would be the first to welcome the same'.

"If one could put the clock back and the Supreme Court suggests merger of the two states as the division was improper under Article 3 and as per the Assembly resolution what else we would need. We will welcome it first and foremost," he said. He was reacting to the charge of former MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar that the AP government was not fighting for justice for AP in this regard.

Reacting to the Arun Kumar's charge that AP government was not doing enough to join hands with him in the fight against the 'unjustified division of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh', the YSRCP senior leader said the government was doing its best for the AP interests.

Referring to Arun Kumar's case which is pending in the Supreme Court now, he said, "My understanding tells me that Arun Kumar has filed the case against the way the state was reorganised in 2014. I don't know why he has reacted now after so many years. Perhaps he was talking about some technicalities. Our party would always welcome the proposal to reunite the state".

"However, practically speaking, this is a time for fighting for the implementation of all pending promises as we have walked our different ways long ago. Vundavalli sounded deliberately out of context in attacking Jagan Mohan Reddy. No injustice has been done to the state by the YSRCP. It was the Congress which backstabbed us and the TDP joined hands with the BJP in agreeing to the proposal. We were the only ones who stood for 'Samaikya Andhra Pradesh' then. If there comes an opportunity again for such a development, we would be foremost in welcoming the move," he said.

Ramakrishna Reddy further said it was the BJP's responsibility now to do its best for Andhra Pradesh as it was in power. YSRCP will not hesitate to point out the injustice to AP. "If the injustices could be set right, what else would we require? We can only fight strongly on this count and unhesitatingly at that. Because of our transparent stand for 'Samaikya Andhra Pradesh' we suffered a loss in Telangana then. If the state were to continue as it was, we would have come to power in the then AP".

He said the AP government was continuing its fight against the injustices heaped on AP due to improper bifurcation. "There is no need for anyone to doubt the sincerity of our leader. We would certainly put up the best legal fight for all aspects pending in the court. There is no other go or option but to wage our battle. A close scrutiny of the government's actions would clarify to Arun Kumar that it is utilising all opportunities to seek justice," he asserted.

He criticised a section of the media which "projected the party's BC meeting at Vijayawada as lacklustre one and without much attendance. It was a meeting of our BC people's representatives to whom our party has given a lion's share in power. More than 80,000 people thronged the venue. There was some jostling and pushing too. The meeting was more of a celebration but not a show of strength".

He further accused the TDP leadership of bankruptcy of ideology and ideas to claim that BCs were with TDP. He dismissed the accusations of harassment of the Opposition by the ruling party terming the talk "a show of frustration".