No rift between SA leaders, will go as team to Delhi: Sailajanath

Denying that there was any rift between Congress Leaders from Seemandhra regions, Seemandhra Forum convener S Sailajanath on Monday stated that the leaders would go to New Delhi as a group of 16 members on August 10.

Revealing that the Seemandhra elected representatives have received an invitation from Congress In-Charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad to come for discussions on August 10, Mr Sailajanath said that Eluru MP Kavuri Sambhasiva Rao has been put in charge of picking up the 16 member team.

Mr Sailajanath’s denial comes in the wake of media reports suggesting that leaders from Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra and North Andhra would be heading to New Delhi separately to hold discussion with Mr Azad.

“The 16 member team from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions will attend the discussions as a single unit and press for the integrated state,” Mr Sailajanath told media persons at the Assembly premises.

When asked to name the team members, Mr Sailajanath said that the list is yet to be finalized, and Mr Sambhasiva Rao is working on it.

The Minister also reiterated his earlier statement that the Congress party has never promised to give Telangana state at any time.

Mr Sailajanath also lashed out at the Telangana leaders for finding fault in former chief minister K Rosaiah’ statement that getting the Telangana resolution passed in the state Assembly was impossible. 

When asked if he was in support of ESMA being invoked against the employees in Telangana region, the Minister said that government was acting as per democratic norms and was not violating any law.