Telangana row: Jagan Reddy meets Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneshwar – YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday met Orissa Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik and discussed the issue of division of Andhra Pradesh.

Talking to media after meeting, Patnaik said: “The division of a state is political, social and emotional issue. In Andhra’s case, the people of the state must have been consulted and a consensus should have been developed.”

“It should not be done for narrow political and electoral gains. A sensitive political dialogue is missing from the whole process,” Patnaik added.

“Naveenji and I have a very strong relationship, and he is kind enough to support us,” said YSR Congress Chief.

He further added, “This would set a new precedent while drawing out new states in the future. We discussed the kind of ramifications this would have,”

Reddy, who earlier this week met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Mamata Banerjee, is building a national consensus against a separate Telangana state and demanding an amendment in the Article 3 of the Constitution.

Jagan further expressed his opinion for the amending of Article 3 and said: “If a state has to be divided, then the unanimous assembly resolution has to be made mandatory. If not unanimous, atleast two-thirds of the State Assembly and in the Parliament should support a division otherwise no division should be there.”

“If it doesn’t stop here; if the Article 3 is not amended, then the repercussions would be so severe that it will spill over to other states. That anybody can sit in Delhi and on their whims and fancies can divide any state. The democracy will be killed in broad daylight. This has to stop,” he said.