Despite the warnings from the party high command, the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy remains defiant on the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
In an interview to the Rajya Sabha TV channel, he struck an aggressive note and said the concerns of Seemandhra people, particularly regarding water sharing, jobs and access to educational opportunities, should be addressed first before going with the decision to divide the state.
In a candid interview, Kiran came across as a strong votary of the united AP cause and was even made it clear that the interests of the people was dearer to him than the party's interests or personal interests.
Being a cricketer himself, the Chief Minister used the cricketing analogy to say that the bifurcation is not a done deal as yet.
"In cricket, the match is not over till the last ball is bowled," he said.
Rubbishing the charge that he was adopting a partisan approach while dealing with the ongoing turmoil in the state, he pointed out that he was born in Rayalaseema region but was raised in Hyderabad. "My heart beats for Hyderabad," he said.
The Chief Minister said that there was a need for a wider debate with all stakeholders before proceeding further on Telangana issue.
The contentious issues pertaining to education, health and employment need to be discussed before division of the state. The water sharing could turn out to be a huge problem than it actually appears now.
Already, because of the disputes with the neighbouring states, the full potential of Krishna and Godavari rivers could not be realized. Kiran said that it was important to respect the concerns of people than votes for the party's agenda.
