I am in favour of united Andhra,says Chiranjeevi

He criticised senior Congress leader K Keshava Rao and two party MPs who recently joined the TRS,saying that they left the party for “political benefits”. “They should have waited for the high command’s decision.”

Asked if he would like to remain at the Centre as a minister or shift to state politics ahead of Assembly elections,Chiranjeevi said,“This is not in my hand. I am part of the Congress under Madam Sonia Gandhi. I am new to politics. I never thought I could reach this level in administration. I am very satisfied with what I am doing. ” He said he had merged his party with the Congress because to “implement our plank of social justice,I needed a bigger support and platform”.

Praising CM Kiran Kumar Reddy for his efforts in implementing popular schemes,Chiranjeevi said he has no chief ministerial ambitions. “They (high command) have to decide. Whatever they decide,I will do. I have a pro-poor agenda. I don’t have the ambition to occupy the top post. If a situation (to become CM) comes,as my duty,I will perform it. But I am not aiming at that. I enjoyed my life for 30 years as a star. I am satisfied.”

Conceding that YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy,who is in jail in connection with corruption charges,has dented the Congress’s hold in the state,he said,“But for how long can he get sympathy? Unless there is some truth (in the allegations),how can he be in jail for such a long time? People have also started thinking that there must be something and that is why he is in jail.”

As for Chandrababu Naidu,he said the TDP leader has been “struggling”. “He was in power for so many years but he couldn’t do justice to farmers and others. They say he was CM of Hyderabad,not of Andhra Pradesh. Farmers and youth are not ready to believe him,” the minister said.