Naidus letter to PM triggers revolt in TDP

 TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said nothing new in his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday, but he has triggered a revolt within his own party.

Accusing Naidu of turning a blind eye to the interests of Rayalaseema -- the region from which the TDP chief hails -- Byreddy Rajasekhar Redy, a senior leader from Kurnool district, resigned from primary membership of the TDP on Thursday.

Talking to reporters here, Byreddy lashed out at his boss for not mentioning the backwardness of Rayalaseema in the letter to the Prime Minister.

“I asked the chief to mention the Rayalaseema issue also in his letter. But Naidu totally ignored Rayalaseema, which is the most backward region in the state.  By asking the PM to hold an all-party meeting exclusively on Telangana, Naidu has once again proved that he is working only for his selfish political gains.”

Byreddy said he would undertake a padayatra from Oct.2 in Rayalaseema to create awareness about these developments in the state so as to prepare them for an agitation to achieve statehood for Rayalaseema.

Naidu is also scheduled to kickstart his padayatra from Hindupur in Anantapur district on that very day.

Two legislators from Naidu’s native district of Chittoor -- A Venkata Praveen Kumar Reddy (Tamballapalle) and N Amarnath Reddy (Palamaner) --also raised a banner of revolt against the TDP chief for his “unilateral decision to write a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to resolve the Telangana issue”.

Speaking to mediapersons in Chittoor separately, Praveen Kumar and Amarnath Reddy asked the TDP chief to immediately withdraw the letter.

If not, TDP legislators from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema would have to consider their options, including leaving the party, they said.

Praveen Kumar wondered how Naidu, a Rayalaseema native, could extend his support to the demand for a Telangana state. He made it clear he will not participate in Naidu’s padayatra beginning on October.2.

“TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu once said that he treats Seemandhra and Telangana as his two eyes. But now he has become blind to Seemandhra interests,” he said.

Accusing Naidu of taking wrong decisions on several issues, the Thamballapalle MLA said the TDP chief’s latest move would not only cause problems for the party but also to the state and the nation.

Amarnath Reddy alleged that Naidu did not consult Seemandhra TDP MLAs before writing the letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.