P Keshav Says "Italian Gandhi" Wants AP's Division

TDP MLA P Keshav on Monday accused the Congress party of proposing to divide Andhra Pradesh for political gains.

Participating in the debate on the State Reorganisation Bill in the State Legislative Assembly, Keshav made strong remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"While Indian (Indira) Gandhi was against AP's division, Italian (Sonia) Gandhi wants to divide the state," he said.

These remarks triggered strong protest from the treasure benches and Congress legislators, including ministers Danam Nagender and Anam Ramnarayana Reddy and government chief whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy rushed to the Speaker's podium to register their protest.

Keshav said that the future of Seemandhra people would be in jeopardy after the division of the state.

He claimed that the people of Seemandhra played a major role in "liberating the people of Telangana from the Nizam's rule".

"Later, they invested all their resources for the development of Hyderabad," he stated.

He denied the allegations of Seemandhra leaders looting the resources of Telangana.

He alleged that the Telangana agitation is not meant for the people, but has been launched to protest the illegal assets earned by Telangana leaders.

The TDP MLA said that it isn't Telangana, but other regions of the state which were ignored in the developmental process.

He also dismissed the contention that Hyderabad was already a developed state before its merger with Andhra.

"If that is true, then why did the Karnataka government formed a special development board for Gulbarga, Bidar and other districts which were earlier part of Hyderabad state," he questioned.

Keshav said that even the Srikrishna Committee was against the division of Andhra Pradesh.

He claimed that the real development of Hyderabad was brought during the TDP's rule.

Intervening during the debate, Sailajanath said that the TDP had no moral right to say anything about Sonia Gandhi or any other Congress leader.

He said that the TDP is being led by a leader who backstabbed his own father-in-law and party founder NTR to become the Chief Minister.

TRS floor leader Eetala Rajender said that the incidents like Karamchedu occurred during the regime of Seemandhra leaders.

He said it is wrong to link the Nizam's rule with the Razakars.

He listed out various development works done by the Nizam.

He said that it was the Nizam who established the Arts College, Nizam's Factory, Allwyn Factory, hospitals, cement roads and other measures.

He recalled that the Nizam's Sugar Factory was sold away during the TDP rule.

Later, the TDP MLAs from Seemandhra region gave an affidavit to the Speaker to keep the state united. (INN)