I have absolutely good relations with the party leaders. I met Ahmed Patel political secretary to Sonia Gandhi and Veerappa Moily. He Moily blessed me to go ahead with this yatra.
Why did you decide to go to Telangana against the wishes of the partys central leadership?
Nine months ago when I had gone to my fathers crash site,I had made the promise to visit the families of those who had committed suicide or died of heart attack after my fathers death. I spent five days in Khammam in Telangana and unveiled 70-80 statues of my father. People waited for me till 4 am. Did I make any political statement? This entire thing in Warangal happened because the Telangana Rashtra Samithi TRS is scared that my yatra will have an impact on the bypolls next month.
Many women legislators of the party had come to receive me at Mahabubabad railway station. They were asked by cops to stay in the waiting room,while they did not say anything to the 100-150 TRS supporters who had gathered there. While those legislators were in the waiting room,they started pelting stones. Not a single policeman tried to protect the legislators. For 25 minutes,they kept calling the SP and Dy SP,but there was no reply. If the TRS can be blamed for rowdyism,I can also blame the state government for not protecting Congress legislators. After the state Cabinet meeting,they said protecting the railway station is not their responsibility. What do I do?
Will you go ahead with Odarpu yatra in Telangana?
I had appealed to the TRS through the media. I told them I will not hold any further movement in Telangana until you complete your bypolls. In the meantime,I will tour other parts of the state. I will go to Srikakulam on June 8.
What do you think about the party leaderships objection to your visit to Telangana?
What have I been telling about Telangana? Why do you drag me into this muddle? I am in no position to stop the creation of Telangana. If at all Telangana is formed,late YSR Reddy will have a few lakh of admirers even in Telangana state. Why should anybody politicise this issue? I only thank the people for the love and affection that they have showered on me after my fathers death. After seven months of his passing away,I considered embarking on this yatra. I took seven months because I also needed time to get over my grief.
Many of your party MPs were reported to have demanded your expulsion8230;
Talk to Rajgopal Lagadapati,to Balram Naik,get a statement from them. Talk to Suresh Kumar Shetkar. Not everybody is against me. The people who are saying so many things are jealous to an extent.
There has been speculation about the possibility of you floating your own party if the Congress refuses to accommodate your concerns. Have you ever thought about it?
When sympathy for my father was all time high and 150 MLAs were supporting me,did I split the party? Why would I do it now? I have full faith in Madam. I revere her. As long as I have faith in her,how and why would I think of it?
Will you accept a berth in the Union Council of Ministers if it is offered to you?
No comments.
What do you think about Rosaiah governments performance? There were reports in your newspaper Sakshi about the state government undermining the schemes launched by late YSR Reddy?
I would not like to comment.