Jaipal's comments spark war of words

HYDERABAD: The ongoing session of the Assembly might have taken Sankranti recess, giving a break to verbal duel between tongue-lashing politicos on the floor of the House. However, some of them appear not ready to take a break, at least till Jan 17 when the State Legislature will reassemble.

Union minister for science and technology S Jaipal Reddy's purported remark that there are nincompoops among Seemandhra leaders has triggered a fresh war of words between politicos of Telangana and Seemandhra.

Cutting across political lines, Seemandhra leaders flayed the comments of Reddy, whereas their Telangana counterparts threw their weight behind the Union minister.

Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar, who is at the forefront of the Samaikyandhra movement, said he had never expected such comments from a veteran politico like Jaipal Reddy.

Daring Jaipal Reddy for a public debate on the issue of bifurcation, Arun Kumar said, 'Jaipal Reddy is stooping to the level of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is known for his tongue-lashing and incendiary remarks. It is so unfortunate.'

While condemning the comments of Jaipal Reddy, minister Erasu Pratap Reddy tried to give a new twist to the row. According to him, intelligent persons in Telangana should advocate United Andhra as combined state is good for the development of their region.

At the same time, wise ones among Samaikyandhra crusaders should bat for division of state as separate state will make Seemandhra region prosper. However, Pratap Reddy said the contrary was happening. 'This indicates there are dimwits in both the regions,' he said.

Seemandhra TDP leaders too reacted strongly to the comments of Jaipal Reddy.

Party senior leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu sought removal of Reddy from the Union Cabinet for 'insulting nine crore Telugu speaking people'. Ramakrishnudu questioned the Union minister what contribution he had made for the cause of Telangana in the last 12 years.

Another senior leader of the TDP Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy too joined chorus with Ramakrishnudu and urged prime minister Manmohan Singh to remove Jaipal Reddy from the Cabinet.

The TDP leader said Jaipal Reddy was making such comments only to hit the headlines to position himself for the first chief minister of Telangana state.

On the other hand, Telangana leaders belonging to various political hues came to the rescue of Jaipal Reddy saying the comments should not be seen out of context. BJP senior leader Ch Vidyasagar Rao said none should misunderstand the remarks.