Rajasekhara Reddy's remarks stir a hornet's nest in Andhra Pradesh

Vijaywada: Even before polling in Telangana came to an end, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy shocked the people of the region with his highly provocative outburst.

In series of election speeches in Nellore, Kurnool, Chittoor and Rayalaseema, Rajasekhara Reddy warned the people that if Telugu Desam (TD) supported by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti forms the government in the state, "people from Rayalaseema will be treated as foreigners in Hyderabad".

The remarks, which have raised a political storm in the state ahead of next week's second phase of polling came in the presence of the Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

The speeches, full of incendiary remarks, have evoked strong condemnation from all political parties as an attempt to create enmity and discord among the people of Telangana, costal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

Leaders of prominent opposition parties have demanded the arrest of the chief minister. The Grand Alliance and the TDP have also decided to approach the Election Commission to seek action against the chief minister for violation of model code of conduct.

Reacting sharply to Rajasekhara Reddy's remarks, senior TDP leader Ummareddy Venkateshwarulu said that the chief minister had become desperate after clear indications that people had overwhelmingly voted against the Congress in the first phase.