Veteran Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao was one of those staunch protagonists of Samaikyandhra and made all out efforts to stall the bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh.
KVP, along with his soul mate and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, made every effort to see that the state was not divided.
After YSR’s death, KVP, along with other Congress leaders, put up a strong fight against bifurcation in Parliament, though he did not come out of the party like others.
Even in his latest book on YSR as a protagonist of farmers, KVP made critical comments against Telangana leaders both in the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now BRS) for dividing the state for their political gains, though YSR was keen on developing Telangana.
But on Saturday, when KVP’s book on YSR was released at a function in Hyderabad, he made a fervent appeal to the people of Telangana to consider him to be a Telangana man.
“I have no interests whatsoever in Andhra. I am a Telangana man and I will remain one,” he said.
Incidentally, at the time of bifurcation, KVP was allotted the Telangana quota in Rajya Sabha. So, he claims to be a Telangana man. So, he appealed to the State leaders to recognize him as a Telangana leader.
Though the BRS has not made any issue out of his statement, it has angered the Telangana leaders in the Congress party.
Former MP V Hanumanth Rao came down heavily on KVP over his claims to be a Telangana native and even asked him to focus on the Andhra Congress.
“In Rajya Sabha, KVP Ramachandra Rao raised slogans against Telangana. Had he not opposed Telangana, we could have considered his appeals,” VH said.
After having opposed Telangana, KVP’s statements that he would spent his life here make no sense and lack justice. The Congress had lost its significance in Andhra Pradesh and it would be better if KVP focused on Andhra Congress affairs, VH added.
