YSR ‘Athma’ Heaps Praises On Naidu

Veteran Congress leader KVP Ramachandra Rao, a close confidant of former CM late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who used to be called as YSR ‘Athma’ was all praises for TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu. When YSR was alive and KVP worked along with him, he too considered Naidu as his bete noire. However, his latest remarks on Naidu drew the attention of political leaders.

Though the Congress has been pushed into the oblivion, KVP still continues to be a Congressman. Surprisingly, his comments on Naidu were elevating the TDP boss, just like the TDP leaders who boast of their party chief and his outstanding administrative capabilities.

Addressing mediapersons in Vijayawada, he took exception to the disqualification of AICC former president Rahul Gandhi as an MP by the NDA government. Referring to Naidu, he said that they would follow him if he (Naidu) led them by being in the front. KVP said that the disqualification of Rahul had put democracy in a peril. When the country is in a crisis, leaders like Chandrababu Naidu have the responsibility to raise his voice, KVP said.

“You (Naidu) are not a normal politician. You have an extraordinary political acumen and are capable of becoming a key leader in the national politics. In the past, you had worked as the convener of NDA and had helmed politics at the national-level. At present, you lead us and we will be behind you supporting you always.”

He reminded that when Naidu did the ‘Dharma Porata Deeksha’, Rahul Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh expressed their solidarity with him. Naidu should respond on Rahul’s disqualification as an MP,” KVP opined.

KVP lamented that none of the 25 MPs or the 175 MLAs from Andhra Pradesh made any comment against the BJP-led NDA following the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. “It is unfortunate.”

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan might not be able to question the NDA due to political pressure but he should be able to call a spade a spade.

KVP said that when a mistake cannot be condemned or pointed out, people will automatically lose the power to question and raise their voice. He fumed at Narendra Modi for speaking indecently about the previous governments in various foreign countries. Had those supporting democracy questioned Modi on that day, we would have not witnessed such a situation today. “But, Rahul Gandhi, during his talk in the Cambridge Business School, just said that India’s democracy was under attack and that the opposition leaders’ voice is being stifled. He did not insult Indian democracy nor did he make any anti-India remark,” KVP said, raising his pitch.

When the reporters asked him as to why he was not giving advice to YSR’s son and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy just as he did to his father, KVP said that he would not answer this question at present. “I will arrange another press meet soon and give an explanation to it. I cannot dodge this question for long and have the responsibility to answer this question and I will definitely do it.”