Gradually, the letter written by Nalgonda Congress MP Gutta Sukhendar Reddy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi objecting granting of special status to the AP state, is gaining support from Telangana Congress leaders. Former MP Ponnam Prabhakar also supports Gutta Sukhendar Reddy writing letter to Prime Minister on this issue.

He said there is nothing wrong in raising objections on special status to the AP as it may adversely affect the industrial development in the Telangana state. If, the Centre is granting special status to the AP state, then it should give it to Telangana state also. I believe that CMKCR should take initiative and stress the Modi government for it. But, he seems to be more interested in getting a union minister post for his daughter and alliance with BJP rather than stressing for release of funds and projects to the state.”

Former union minister Jairam Ramesh has tried to reduce the damage to the party by disowning Gutta’s letter. Then he said that it is his personal and not Congress party’s view. Now he has to disown Ponnam Prabhakar’s statement also and probably many others to follow them in the coming days. Jairam should realize that this is not the way to handle this matter.

If the Congress party is really honest with its commitment on special status to the AP state, then it should ask its Telangana Congress leaders not to create any new hurdles in this process. Otherwise, people of the AP state have to believe that Congress party doesn’t want the Modi government to grant special status to the AP State.