The Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi is raring to go down in the history as a leader who can openly go against the wish of the people who elected her.
She has claimed that she would vote in favour of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh whenever the Telangana Bill comes up before the Parliament. If she does so, it will be a record of sorts.
No other Seemandhra leader would dare to do so.
Lakshmi, who represents Bapatla reserved constituency in Guntur district, said that she is very much aware of the fact that the people in her constituency want the state to remain united and are strongly agitating against the UPA's decision to split the state.
"I am a loyal soldier of the Congress party. I will obey the party's whip and vote in favour of the state's division," she said.
The Union Minister even has a free advice to the people of Seemandhra. She says they should now be mentally prepared for the bifurcation and strive for getting a fair deal for their region.
"I will strive to get Bhadrachalam for Seemandhra," Lakshmi said adding that she would also make sincere efforts to get premier institutions to the Seemandhra region.
Defying all conventional logic, she exudes supreme confidence about her party's victory in the coming general elections.
"There will be no adverse impact of the bifurcation decision," Lakshmi said. In fact, she advised those leaders who want to leave the Congress to do so immediately.
"Anybody who wants to quit Congress can do so without any loss of time. We can do without them," the Union Minister said.
She said that though she was personally in favour of keeping the state united, she would abide by the party's decision.
"Party is supreme for me. It is more important than what people in my constituency think," she declared.
