New Delhi: With the Congress suffering a rout in Andhra Pradesh bypolls, outgoing Rajya Sabha MP from the state K Keshav Rao on Wednesday suggested that lack of clarity in the party on Telangana issue cost it dear.
“I do not know why you are getting surprised. The issue was about Telangana. So unfortunately while the Congress party could not give clarity on Telangana, TDP could not give clarity on Telangana, one party said we are with Telangana on Wednesday and they have won,” Rao told reporters outside Parliament.
He said that what was a matter of concern for Congress is that even BJP, which had no influence in Mehboobnagar, has won a seat. He pointed out that BJP was the only national party to support the demand for Telangana.
The Andhra Pradesh leader also used his farewell speech in the Upper House to make his point on the issue.
“We have been trying to raise the issue of Telangana. On Wednesday, results show that although, we did not give scope for discussing this here, the entire people of Telangana have voted against what exactly we have been thinking of,” he said. He said “if that kind of a thing and people’s urge is not reflected here, it creates a problem”.
Maintaining that dissent had become vital in a living democracy, Rao rued, “But the ruling party members are just being reduced as if they are nothing at all.
The party formulations and debates are again constrained with what is known as party rules, whips and other things”.
Rao said that rules and the time cannot be constrained to very important issues of free expression.
“Some method has to be found where the people from the ruling party should also think…there are thinking minds here…this also must be given a thought,” he said, adding there is a need to consider how the debate in the House can truly become peoples’ voice. Rao’s term in Rajya Sabha comes to an end on April 3.
Out of the seven assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, whose results were declared on Wednesday, TRS has won four while BJP and Independent one each. Outside Parliament, Rao said, “They (BJP) are the only national party which said they stand by Telengana. They are now back with a bang and have won the election though they have no ground at all in Mehboobnagar. It shows clearly the issue of Telengana, the demand for Telengana cannot be sidelined like this.”
He, however, evaded a direct reply when asked whether the results were a warning to Congress leadership on Telangana issue.
“It is a warning to the entire nation. It is a warning to the nation, to the entire people who would not like to see the reality,” he said. (PTI)