Dispelling concerns about stability of the State Government, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy today challenged his opponents to topple his Government.
Addressing a press conference along with senior Cabinet colleagues, he said, “Unlike Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which fought the last elections as ‘Maha Kootami’ (grand alliance), the Congress won its elections on its own. Yet we bagged 50 seats in the region and TRS barely 10.”
Questioning the credibility of K. Chandrasekhar Rao, TRS chief, he said he contested the last elections in alliance with Telugu Desam and even before the results were out he was hobnobbing with the BJP.
He described TRS chief’s tirade and disparaging remarks against senior congress leaders, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru as unbecoming a leader whom he described as sub-regional level leader.
On the separate State issue he questioned, “What is wrong if the Central Government wants to take more time to decide on this complex and tricky issue taking into consideration views of all regions in the State and also in the interest of the country.”
Asked if the Government plans to initiate any action against the TRS Chief for his remarks against senior Congress leaders, the Chief Minister said, “The Government does not initiate action on such issues. It is for the law to take its course.”
rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in