The leader of the banned extreme-left outfit, the Telangana Maoist party, Jagan Ghattu today slammed former Health Minister Etala Rajender over the latter's decision to join the BJP.
The Maoist leader, in a letter on the matter, expressed his anger also over Rajender's earlier claims that he was still a Leftist leader.
In the letter, Jagan condemned a statement Rajender made at the time of his recent resignation where the latter reportedly claimed that he was a leader with a deeply leftist ideology.
Referring to the former minister's statement that he would fight against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his "feudal leadership" for the self-respect of Telangana, Jagan alleged that the claim was a laughable one since Rajender could barely keep his word after becoming a member of a right-wing party.
Further, he claimed that Rajender had indeed increased his assets after becoming a minister, and that in joining the BJP, had rejected the plea made to him by those who believed in democracy to fight alongside them against the "dictatorship of the CM".
"The people have nothing to do with this fight between the CM and Rajender. They are unlikely to be the centre of the feud, and are unlikely to get affected dramatically by its outcome as both leaders are birds of the same nest," he added.
Jagan also said that though it was the TRS that had eventually come to power on the wave of the 2014 formation of Telangana, it was important to remember that the region had achieved statehood due to the struggle and contribution of every section of society.