Prez rule in AP a sad commentary on Cong functioning: Venkaiah

Naidu wondered why Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and PM were not present in Parliament when Telangana Bill was passed

The imposition of President's rule in Andhra Pradesh is a sad commentary on the functioning of Congress, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu alleged here today.

"It is a sad commentary on the functioning of the Congress party. That's why I called it 'Tughlak (Mohammad Bin) rule'. They have majority in both states (Telangana and Seemandhra), but they could not form government here," Naidu told reporters here.

"They were in power for the last nine-and-half years. They could not hold municipal elections in due time. That's why you have a peculiar situation, where you have three elections (Lok Sabha, Legislative Assembly and municipal bodies)," he said.

Replying to a query, he alleged that Congress bungled up in Andhra Pradesh leading to imposition of President's rule due to a Constitutional break-down.

"A people's government is always better. Otherwise, one can only go for President's rule. If it becomes inevitable as per the Constitutional breakdown, there is a Constitutional breakdown. They used Article 356. Otherwise, how can they impose President's rule?" he asked.

"Who is responsible for this? Not opposition parties. It is the Congress party's internal squabble, problems, dissidence that has led to this situation. They will pay for it," he said.

Referring to the comments of Congress leaders like Jairam Ramesh that the package announced for Seemandhra (in division of AP) were Congress' proposals, Naidu wondered why they were not brought in Lok Sabha and why Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister were not present in Parliament when Telangana Bill was passed.