Jagan meets Mamata in Kolkata for united AP

Kolkata, Nov 20 : Expressing her solidarity with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in his fight to keep Andhra Pradesh united, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee has said that public opinion should be respected in a democracy and decisions cannot be taken unilaterally.

YSR Congress President who called on Trinamool Congress supremo here on Tuesday has sought the cooperation of Mamata Banerjee and urged her to oppose the Telangana Bill when it is tabled in the Parliament and has also said that they are opposing the Article 3 which is being misused and it needs to be amended to the effect that a resolution in the state assembly and parliament should be made mandatory with a two-thirds majority.

During the interaction with the TMC leader, which went off on a cordial note, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy told her that in the absence of such a mechanism, the government in power at the Centre will be splitting the states at its whims and fancies without following any democratic norms.

Giving a personal touch to the meeting, Mamata Banerjee has said that Jagan is like her brother. Though there are some demands of division (in West Bengal), her Party is categorical that it stands for national integration and people should live united.

We can create new districts for development and allocate special funds or give special status for backward areas. If all the stake holders agree for the division, no one will object as it happened in case of Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Chattisgarh. Even the Parliament gave its nod with more than two-third majority. “But the situation in Andhra Pradesh is different. While one side wants the division the other side is opposing it and it is a delicate issue. Public opinion should be honoured if the Centre wants to divide the State, “she said.

A commission should be appointed to elicit the opinion of all stakeholders and simultaneously a resolution should be tabled in the State assembly. A solution can come only though such an exercise. It is not fair to stir hornet’s nest just a few months before elections for political reasons. Congress has always been scouting for political mileage. People must be willing for a division, or else problems would arise and Jagan wants to keep the State united.

There will not be any problem if the resolution is unanimously adopted in the House. The Centre did not table the Sri Krishna Committee report. The Centrre should take into consideration the Sri Krishna Committee Report and Sarkaria Commission Reports. The Government should table the Sri Krishna Committee Report and take people into confidence, she said. INN