Cong MPs from Telangana slam Andhra CM

Congress members of Parliament from Telangana region on Thursday attacked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy accusing him of adopting an "uncalled for vindictive attitude" towards the people agitating for a separate state.

Declaring that the Congress MPs will stand by Telangana people "at this critical hour", senior Congress leader K Kesava Rao said the MPs were ready to face the "first bullet" if the state government decides to "crush" the agitation of the common people and  government employees from the region for a separate state.

"If any bullet the chief minister wants to use, if his director general of police wants to use (against) any striking employees or any Telangana man, we will receive it first. Let them know that," an emotionally charged Rao told mediapersons.

Criticising the state government's decision to conduct group II service commission examinations in the state on October 15, he said job seekers will face difficulties to attend it as the entire traffic in the region is collapsed due to the agitaion.

He alleged the chief minister is "sadistically" enjoying the plight of Telangana people and alleged the state service examinations are being held for filling the vacancies with the people from Andhra region.

"That is the intention of the CM," Rao said.

The Congress MPs also termed as "unconstituntional" Reddy's hesistance to distribute salary advances to the agitating government employees from Telangana region on the occasion of Diwali despite the request from his ministerial colleagues.