Kiran defends decision to quit post, slams Congress

Hyderabad, Feb 19 : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy defended his decision to quit from the post in protest against the bifurcatin of Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing his last press conference as the Chief Minister at his camp office at Begumpet here on Wednesday, Kiran Kumar Reddy said that he took the decision for the Telugu people. He announced that he was resigning not only as the Chief Minister but also as the MLA and Congress member with immediate effect. “I am grateful to the Congress party for giving me the opportunity to be the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. This is not an easy decision for me,” he said.

Kiran Kumar Reddy began his press conference by accusing all political parties of dividing the Telugu people for seats and power. “I condemn the actions of TDP, YSRCP, TRS, BJP and also ruling Congress who have played a role in causing irreparable damage to the Telugu people,” he said. The bifurcation should help people. But in case of Andhra Pradesh, innumerable problems would crop up for the people of both Seemandhra and Telangana regions. He said that the students, farmers and other sections would now be forced to face the consequences of division and they would now be forced to fight to get their share in resources like drinking water, energy and educational opportunities.

He accused the Centre of implementing the process of Telangana formation in haste. “The cabinet note on Telangana came as table item. They didn’t give time for even two hours for the ministers to review the issue. The constitution of Group of Ministers (GoM) and all its actions were unconstitutional,” he alleged.

Kiran Kumar Reddy also criticised the way Telangana Bill was tabled and passed in Lok Sabha. He said that the Seemandhra MPs were attacked and later suspended. He said it was highly condemnable that the MPs whose State was being divided were not present in the House due to suspension. He said the tabling and passing of a Bill in Lok Sabha which was rejected by the concerned Assembly was against the spirit of federalism.

Kiran Kumar Reddy also defended staying on post after the Congress Working Committee took decision in favour of Telangana. “If I would have quit earlier, Telangana would have been created four months back. So me and my colleagues decided to stay in power and put up a fight for the cause of the Telugu people,” he claimed.

However, Kiran Kumar Reddy evaded questions on his plans to float a new political party. “I told you, this is for the Telugu people. It is not a selfish act. People will lose in this deal. Future of farmers, students, employees has been pushed into darkness,” he said.  INN