Copyright thehindu
VIJAYAWADA Leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) celebrated Andhra Pradesh Formation Day at the party’s central office near Mangalagiri in Guntur district on Saturday. Srisailam Temple Trust Board member A.V. Ramana, TDP NRI wing leader Ch. Rajasekhar, Paruchuri Krishna, Valluri Kiran, and others paid floral tributes to Potti Sriramulu. They lauded his sacrifice for the creation of Andhra Pradesh—the first State formed on a linguistic basis—and urged people to uphold the ideals he espoused. Meanwhile, extending warm greetings to the people of Andhra Pradesh and paying glowing tributes to Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the State government’s refusal to officially observe the Formation Day was an insult to the martyr’s legacy. “By not celebrating this historic day, the Chandrababu Naidu government is undermining the sacrifice of Potti Sriramulu garu and the pride of the Telugu people. This day must always be celebrated beyond politics,” he said in a press release. Marking the occasion, YSRCP leaders celebrated Formation Day at the party’s central office in Tadepalli, where they paid floral tributes to Potti Sriramulu’s portrait. They expressed anguish over the coalition government’s decision to neglect official celebrations. YSRCP State general secretary and MLC Leella Appi Reddy said that Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and later Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, reinstated the importance of the day by officially celebrating it and ensuring that future generations remembered the sacrifices made for the State’s formation. Former Minister Velampalli Srinivasa Rao criticised the government for sidelining the Formation Day and ridiculed the collection of funds in the martyr’s name for installing his statue while allocating crores for statues of other political leaders. BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav also conveyed his best wishes to the people, recalling that Andhra Pradesh was born out of Potti Sriramulu’s supreme sacrifice and highlighting the State’s rich and distinguished cultural heritage.
