Botcha, hero for some and traitor for others
HYDERABAD: PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, who has several times said he was not against formation of Telangana state, seems to be facing a piquant situation now.
With his firm stand to abide by his party leadership's decision to split AP, he has become the blue-eyed boy of the Congress high command. He is also being treated as a hero by the Telangana Congress leaders.
However, in Seemandhra, the state Congress boss is considered a traitor by people and his party peers from the region. The ongoing attacks on his properties in Vizianagaram town have become a point of discussion in Congress circles.
Though the PCC boss now claims he is for unity, it appears to have little effect on the agitators, who have not forgotten the earlier remarks of Botcha that there is no wrong if there were two states for Telugus. But Telangana Congress leaders say the violent attacks on the assets of Botcha are the result of a power struggle in Seemandhra.
Rajya Sabha member Palvai Govardhan Reddy said, 'As a part of the power struggle between Kamma, Kapu and Reddy castes, some opponents are targeting Botcha.'
Even Botcha said on Saturday that he is being targeted by some of his party leaders, who are from upper castes. On Sunday, ministers K Jana Reddy, P Sudarshan Reddy and B Saraiah called on Botcha here and expressed their solidarity with him.
Condemning the attacks on the properties of Botcha, Rajya Sabha members V Hanumantha Rao and Palvai Govardhan Reddy came down heavily on chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for failing to maintin law and order in Vizianagaram.
Support is also pouring in for the PCC president from the AICC leadership. According to sources, apart from AICC state affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh and former incharge Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel on Sunday called Botcha and learnt to have expressed solidarity with him.
News Posted: 7 October, 2013
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