In a clear indication that TDP is going to attend the Rayalaseema meeting being convened by retired High Court Judge Justice P Lakshman Reddy, deputy chief minister K E Krishna Murthy said there was no movement whatsoever in Rayalaseeama. KE Krishnamurthy, who represents Pattikonda constituency, Kurnool district today said people were not supporting the so called protagonists of Rayalaseema movement. He would attend the meeting.
Krishna Murthy, though first expressed a meek disappointment at the denial of capital city status to Kurnool city, has been maintaining that TDP was committed to the development of the Region, especially Naidu had been sincere in his efforts to development region.
Justice Lakshman Reddy wrote a personal letter to Krishnamurthy asking him of attend the November 21, meeting being held at Tirupati. He personally spoke to many TDP leaders asking them to attend the meeting meant to give a clarity on the movement and nature of injustice being done to the region. But, the response is poor from the ruling party and its ally, BJP. Some told this correspondent Naidu had asked his comrades from Rayalaseema to ignore Justice Lakshman Reddy’s meeting.
Apart from this, there has been a feeling among the some sections of people that only disgruntled ‘Reddys’ from the region are trying to hijack the ‘movement’ to their advantage. This dampened the spirit of Rayalaseema movement among the non-Reddy communities in the region.
For the people like KE Krishna Murthy, a leadership by Reddy’s could be one of the discouraging points. Because, when the first Rayalaseema padayatra took place in mid eighties, during NTR regime, KE Krishnamurhty was minister of major irrigation. The Padayatra, from Penukonda in Anantapur district to Pothireddypadu, Kurnool district, was led YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Mysoora, Reddy, DL Ravindra Reddy etc. Pothireddypadu was the off-take point for Krishna water to Telugu Gangan and SRBC.
Now, when KE is deputy chief minister history is repeating in the form of a Rayalaseema movement in a different from.
Now too KE doesn’t want to associate himself with Rayalaseema movement.
When asked if he was planning to attend the Tiruapti meeting, he replied in the negative by stating there was no movement in Rayalaseema. “The people are not supporting the movement. Telugu Desam Government is ensuring that all regions of sate get equal importance in the development.”
Since the day one, he said, the chief minister Naidu had been taking steps to ground all projects in Kurnool, Anantapur and Chittoor districts. All the allegations of injustice to Rayalaseema were irrational, he said. “There is no question of participating in the Rayalaseema meeting at Tirupati on November 21,” he said categorically.
