Andhra CM under fire for remarks on Telangana

S Jaipal Reddy says the decision taken by the leadership is binding on all

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy's remarks on Telangana have triggered a storm with his deputy and several senior leaders of Congress from Telangana on Friday lashing out at him for going against the decision of the party leadership.

While some condemned his defiance of the central leadership and demanded his resignation, others accused of spreading falsehood and misleading people.

A day after Kiran Kumar Reddy asked the central government to address all issues including status of Hyderabad before taking any step for formation of Telangana state, the Telangana leaders came down heavily on him for defying the party leadership.

Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said history would not forgive those working in defiance of the leadership.

"Commander should not be a conspirator. He should be a statesman," Rajanarasimha said without naming Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Addressing 'meet the press' programme here, the deputy chief minister made it clear that those migrated from Seemandra (Rayalaseema and Andhra) and are living in Hyderabad are residents of the city and that they shouldn't be called settlers.

Referring to chief minister's observation that bifurcation would lead to many problems, Rajanarasimha wanted to know who were the creators of these problems.

Union Science and Technology Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said the decision taken by the leadership was binding on all. He said Hyderabad was an integral part of Telangana.

On the chief minister's remark that state's division will create problem of river water distribution, the central minister said the inter-state river water board would look into the issue.

He said in Mahabubnagar that the leadership would take note of the chief minister's statement.

Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdary condemned the chief minister's statement. She said people coming from various regions lived together in Hyderabad.

Former state Congress chief D. Srinivas said Kiran Kumar Reddy was spreading falsehood on Telangana issue. He alleged that the chief minister was misleading the cabinet and the people.

MP G. Sukhender Reddy said the chief minister was making provocative statements and hence unfit to continue on the post.

Protesting Kiran Reddy's remarks, pro-Telangana students Friday tried to lay siege to the chief minister's camp office. Police arrested the protestors.

Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) announced that rallies would be organized across Telangana for three days from Saturday to protest the chief minister's remarks.