The maverick Telugu Desam Party leader Nandamuri Harikrishna has taken an indirect dig at his party chief and brother-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu in his open letter addressed to the people of the state.
Asserting that the people of Andhra Pradesh want the state to be united and are not interested in "crores of rupees in the form of packages.".
It may be recalled that Naidu, while addressing the media a day after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) announced its decision on formation of Telangana state, had demanded Rs five lakh crore as financial package for building the new state capital for Seemandhra region.
Harikrishna breathed fire at the ruling Congress for seeking to divide the state and drive a wedge among the Telugu people and said ,"For the sake of votes and seats, they have mortgaged the interests and sensibilities of the Telugu people."
Though Harikrishna, who has resigned his Rajya Sabha seat in support of the Samaikyandhra cause, did not name the TDP leadership while attacking the decision to divide the state, it must be remembered that Naidu has been saying that he was still committed to the formation of Telangana state.
"Who will take the responsibility after the 2014 elections for all the promises that are being made now to the people of the state? Will Congress or BJP take the responsibility?," Harikrishna asked.
The bifurcation of the state without resolving the water disputes will lead to dangerous consequences, he warned.
"Instead of water, blood will flow in the rivers of Krishna and Godavari," he said.
In a belligerent tone, he called upon the people to "drive away" the Congress President Sonia Gandhi from the country if AP is divided. He lamented that the politicians were trying to dilute and scuttle the genuine mass agitation in Seemandhra region demanding that the state be kept united.
Harikrishna said that he was committed to the ideals of NTR who always wanted Telugu people and the state to remain united for all round development and prosperity. He did not make any mention of the present dispensation in the TDP nor did he appeal to the people to support the party.
