AP state assembly witnessed heated exchanges between the Congress members and the opposition triggered by Telugu Desam Party legislator Payyavula Keshav’s remarks on AICC President Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origin during the debate on T Bill.
This furore ended after chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reportedly intervened and appealed to the members not to deviate from the issue of bifurcation. Arguing against division of the state, Keshav said the Indian Gandhis (Indira Gandhi) wanted Samaikyandhra.
But the Italian Gandhi is seeking disintegration of the state and the nation and he was taking a dig at Sonia Gandhi. Enraged Congress members including ministers Danam Nagender and S Shailajanath demanded an unconditional apology from Keshav.
Congress members were irked when Keshav, instead of apologizing, said he would repeatedly remind them of Sonia’s Italian origin. After Keshav’s remarks, Seemandhra TDP members submitted signed affidavits against the division to Speaker Nadendla Manohar, and asked him to send them to President Pranab Mukherjee.
