Jagan fasts for united Andhra, claims Sonia paving Rahul's PM path

YSR Congress Party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday launched an indefinite hunger strike against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, holding Sonia Gandhi responsible for the "crisis" in the state and accusing her of exploiting sentiments of people to pave way for Rahul Gandhi to become prime minister.

Jagan also announced his party would challenge the Union Cabinet's decision to grant Telangana in Supreme Court.

"Sonia Gandhi is responsible for the crisis in the state and she has been playing with the sentiments of people with the singular motive of seeing to it that her son Rahul Gandhi is made prime minister," Jagan alleged.

The YSRCP president, who began an indefinite fast at his Lotus Pond residence in Hyderabad at 11.30 am, appealed to Sonia to reconsider the decision, saying creation of new state would badly affect the future generations of one region.

"We are opposing the unilateral manner in which the Centre is functioning. How can it go ahead with bifurcation process without a resolution in the state Assembly," he questioned.

Click on NEXT for more...

Jagan, who is out on bail in a corruption case said, "We have never heard of an instance of state bifurcation without a resolution in the Assembly. The division is arbitrary in nature and does not address all issues that are bound to crop up after the bifurcation".

Appealing to Centre to rollback its decision to carve out Telangana, Jagan said, "the motive of the division could be political, but Delhi cannot play with the sentiments of the people of one region".

The YSR Congress chief, who had triggered speculation of possible political alignments after he recently praised BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as an "administrator", asked the saffron party, which has always been in favour of the separate state, to support the cause of united Andhra Pradesh.

He added that being elected thrice as the chief minister shows that he has been a good administrator. 

"If a politician wins a state thrice doesn't that prove that he is good. I want Modi to make BJP secular," he said. 

Jagan also said that if Modi can change the outlook for BJP and make it a secular party, it will be able to get the support of many others. "We don't want Muzaffarnagars, we want Mohabbatnagars," he said.

"Why the Centre couldn't change its decision when there is so much happening in the state? (and) when it could revoke the ordinance (aimed at protecting convicted lawmakers) on the intervention of Rahul Gandhi," Jagan said.

Click on NEXT for more...

Jagan had earlier launched an indefinite fast against the bifurcation at the Chanchalguda Jail where he was lodged as an under-trial in a disproportionate assets case, but it was broken on the fifth day after he was hospitalised.

Referring to proposed indefinite fast by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi on October 7, Jagan said, "If he is sincere, he should be categorical about his support for a united state and send a letter afresh to that effect."

Meanwhile, the bandh against the bifurcation entered second day in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers and other united-AP supporters have called for a 48-hour bandh, while YSRCP has called for a 72-hour shut-down in the non-Telangana regions.

Educational institutions and commercial establishments remained closed in the region.

Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Inspector General (Coastal Andhra), said police had deployed additional forces in view of attacks on Congress offices and residences and properties of some Congress leaders, including state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana, on Friday.

"Situation is under control. As long as agitations are peaceful we have no objection. But if they turn violent then we will swing into action and file cases," Rao told PTI. 

Click on NEXT for more...

...