Desam, TJAC set to clash today

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Telangana leaders of the Telugu Desam on Sunday reacted strongly to the warnings of Telangana Political JAC leaders about preventing TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's padayatra entering Mahbubnagar district on Monday asking for more clarity on TD's stand on Telangana.

Advising TJAC chairman Prof. Kodandaram not to act as “KCR's agent“ and run the TJAC as a “branch office“ of TRS, TD leaders said: “Who are Chandrasekhar Rao and Kodandaram to demand Naidu's stand? What is their locus standi in the region? Why should our leader react to their demand?“ Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao, senior party MLAs Erraballi Dayakara Rao, M.Narasimhulu, Revuri Prakash Reddy and others hit out at TJAC and said that if the people of Telangana came and asked Naidu about the party's stand, he would clear their doubts.

“The Congress and the YSR Congress are not coming out with any favourable statements on Telangana and both Chandrasekhar Rao and Kodandaram have chosen not to react to this. We want to know the reason for this discrimination,“ the Telugu Desam leaders asked. Telangana JAC convener M. Kodandaram Reddy wanted Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu to explain the party's stand on Monday .

“The TD chief has never stated that he is for a Telangana state; he only wanted the Centre to convene an all-party meet on this. Even in his so-called letter to the Prime Minister, he did not favour a T-state. We, as a policy, demand from everyone to spell out their stand on Telangana, including the TD,“ Prof Kodandaram said.

TD leaders said that when Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K.Chandrasekhar Rao had issued statements several times in past stating that he would bring about a T-state within weeks and months, why hadn't Prof. Kodandaram questioned him and was instead targeting the TD. “What right do you have to question our party's stand? We will explain our stand to those concerned and not to the TJAC or the TRS,“ TD leader Erraballi Dayakar Rao said.

The TD leaders added that they would foil any attempt of TJAC to disturb their leader's padayatra.

“What more clarity do they need from us? Our party leader has already written to the Prime Minister to convene an all party meet on the Telangana issue and we are prepared to explain our stand whenever there is such a meeting; but we are not here to explain our stand to TJAC.“

Telangana TD leaders have in principle decided to mobilise huge crowds en route Naidu's padayatra in Mahbubnagar district with a view to keep agitators owing allegiance to the TJAC at bay and also to counter their moves.