YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy (L) with CPI leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechuri at CPI office in New Delhi
New Delhi:
YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy today met leaders of two Left parties in the national capital to muster support for a "united" Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Reddy met CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury separately to garner support for defeating the Telangana Bill when it is introduced in Parliament.
Following the meetings, Mr Reddy warned that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would set a bad precedent which would see the government at the Centre dividing states as per its "whims and fancies for electoral gains".
"Today, it happens to be Andhra Pradesh, tomorrow, it can be Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu... Anybody with a 272 majority in Lok Sabha can draw a line and split states," he said.
Although the CPI refused to express solidarity with the YSR Congress, the CPI(M) maintained its position against any division of states.
"He wanted us to reconsider our decision. But we reiterated that Telangana should be divided and separate statehood should be given," Sudhakar Reddy told reporters.
Mr Reddy, who is in New Delhi as part of his nationwide tour to garner support among political parties for the united Andhra cause, is expected to meet top leaders of the BJP tomorrow.
At a rally in Hyderabad last month, Mr Reddy had made his support in the next year's Lok Sabha elections conditional, saying he will support any party that stands for a united Andhra Pradesh.
The Centre aims to bring the Telangana Bill in Parliament in the second half of the winter session to be held on December 5-20, five months after the ruling Congress endorsed the decision to carve a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh.
Attempting to project his party as the sole champion of a 'united Andhra', the YSR Congress chief has accused both Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Telugu Desam Party or TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu of betraying the people of Seemandhra - the regions of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, which are vehemently opposed to splitting Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Reddy met CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury separately to garner support for defeating the Telangana Bill when it is introduced in Parliament.
Following the meetings, Mr Reddy warned that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would set a bad precedent which would see the government at the Centre dividing states as per its "whims and fancies for electoral gains".
"Today, it happens to be Andhra Pradesh, tomorrow, it can be Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu... Anybody with a 272 majority in Lok Sabha can draw a line and split states," he said.
Although the CPI refused to express solidarity with the YSR Congress, the CPI(M) maintained its position against any division of states.
"He wanted us to reconsider our decision. But we reiterated that Telangana should be divided and separate statehood should be given," Sudhakar Reddy told reporters.
Mr Reddy, who is in New Delhi as part of his nationwide tour to garner support among political parties for the united Andhra cause, is expected to meet top leaders of the BJP tomorrow.
At a rally in Hyderabad last month, Mr Reddy had made his support in the next year's Lok Sabha elections conditional, saying he will support any party that stands for a united Andhra Pradesh.
The Centre aims to bring the Telangana Bill in Parliament in the second half of the winter session to be held on December 5-20, five months after the ruling Congress endorsed the decision to carve a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh.
Attempting to project his party as the sole champion of a 'united Andhra', the YSR Congress chief has accused both Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Telugu Desam Party or TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu of betraying the people of Seemandhra - the regions of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, which are vehemently opposed to splitting Andhra Pradesh.
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