Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu walked out of the National Integration Council meeting in protest against the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Naidu became agitated in the Monday’s meeting, after he was prevented by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to raise the Telangana issue.
“What is the use of a meeting for the integration of the country when one state Andhra Pradesh is burning due to your polices,” asked Naidu, while leaving the venue. later talking to media, he said when he raised the issue, Sonia Gandhi objected to it and told him that NIC was not the forum to discuss the Telangana issue.
Sonia Gandhi was immediately joined by Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in preventing Naidu to raise the issue of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. Naidu said Chidambaram told him that he would not be allowed to speak on Telangana in the NIC meeting and if he wishes, he can walkout of the meeting, which he did.
“My point is, if I am not allowed to speak on such a serious issue in such a forum where top leadership of the country is present, where will I go,” he asked, blaming the Centre and Congress for “spoiling” the region.