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Expressing her ire over the manner in which political parties have been exploiting the fame and popularity of the film stars, Jayaprada charged that TDP President Chandrababu Naidu Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav had utilized her services for winning elections and then ditched her afterwards.

Jayaprada further expressed her anguish and concern over the happenings and uncertainty in Andhra Pradesh and observed that people of both the regions in the state have showered her with warmth and love. Stressing the imperative need for both Telangana and Seemandhra regions to develop in all respects, she wanted the central government to immediately find a solution to resolve prevailing crisis in the state. It is unfortunate that Congress central leadership has gone back on its promise to resolve the issue within one month. What is now more important is not consultations but a firm decision on Telangana, he observed.

She further said that on the advice of SP leader Amar Singh, she would definitely join some political party. Though she has been invited by many political parties, she would join only the one which has the people’s immense confidence and support. As a matter of fact she had been stating that she would enter into active politics from AP only and hence it was speculated hat she might join her original TDP or YSRCP. However after her scathing attack on Chandrbabu Naidu, it is believed that she might join hands with Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy by joining YSRCP and contest the 2014 elections.

Y.S. Vijayalakshmi Reddy, honorary president of the YSR Congress, the breakaway Congress faction headed by her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, feels the “mess” in Andhra Pradesh over the issue of creating a separate state of Telangana is the Congress’ own creation.

Vijayalakshmi Reddy, popularly known as Vijayamma, told in an interview that the Congress should clean the “mess they have created in Andhra”.

However, she did not clarify her party’s position on creation of a separate Telangana state.

Very tactfully, Vijayamma said a decision on Telangana should be left to the “acceptance” of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

“There is a total chaos in Andhra. The Congress is manipulating the situation for their political benefit,” Vijayamma told during one of her visits to the national capital.

“We are not in a position to give or stop Telangana. We just want the Congress government to do it to the justification and acceptance of the people of all regions of Andhra,” she said.

Vijayamma’s husband, or YSR as he was popularly known, was an extremely popular leader. He was twice chief minister, from 2004-2009 and from May 20, 2009, after the Congress returned to power in the assembly elections, to Sep 2 that year when he was killed in a helicopter crash.

Jaganmohan Reddy quit the Congress in November 2010 after the party leadership refused to nominate him to succeed his father as chief minister. He is at present in jail in a corruption case that his party claims is false.

The allegations against Jaganmohan Reddy include amassing wealth by pressuring companies to “invest” in his businesses in return for various favours from his father’s government when YSR was chief minister.

“The present government in Andhra does not care for the people. It is like there is no government at all. People want the state elections to take place as soon as possible,” Vijayamma said.

The state is facing a political turmoil with a decision on formation of Telangana expected to be announced soon. While people in the Telangana region are demanding a separate state, leaders from Seemandhara (as the Rayalaseema and Andhra regions are referred to), have joined ranks to oppose a division of the state, threatening a showdown.

“There was no such problem when YSR was there. He took along the whole state together,” Vijayamma said.

She slammed the Congress for using the situation for its own ends.

“Everything they have done, they have done to their political advantage. When (P.) Chidambaram announced that the centre was initiating a process for formation of Telangana, did he announce it without consulting his own government (central and state government)? We have made it very clear – clean this mess you have created in the state,” she said.

In December 2009, then home minister Chidambaram had made a dramatic near- midnight announcement of initiating the process of forming Telangana following a fast-unto-death by Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao demanding bifurcation of the state.

Thereafter, a commission under Justice B.N. Srikrishna was formed in March 2010 to give suggestions on a separate state. Its report came on Dec 30, 2010. However, not much progress was made in the process of forming a separate state until Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Dec 28, 2012, announced that a decision on Telangana will be taken in a month. However, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said earlier this week the announcement may take longer.

The state has seen several bandhs, violent protests, spearheaded by students, and suicides over the demand for a separate state.

An emotional Vijayamma added: “Had YSR been alive, such a situation would not have arisen”.

She also slammed the Congress and its central leadership for “forging a case” against Jaganmohan Reddy, alleging it was done as the Congress was “afraid of his popularity”.

“My husband worked for the public for more than 30 years. He lost his life while serving the people. He was instrumental in bringing the Congress to power in Andhra Pradesh and the centre and this is the reward his son gets,” Vijayamma said.

The YSR Congress, in its first electoral foray in 2011, won the by-poll to the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat (Jaganmohan Reddy’s constituency). He had quit the seat after leaving the Congress.

In the assembly by-elections held in 2012, it won 15 of 18 seats it contested – and also the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

Andhra Pradesh is India’s fourth largest state by area (275,000 square km.) and fifth largest by population (84.65 million). The Telangana region is spread over 114,000 sq km with a population of 35.28 million – 41.6 percent of the state’s population. The Telangana region is a comparatively less developed area of the state.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislator K. Tarakarama Rao and his supporters were arrested near the office of Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) as they were gathering there to proceed towards Indira Park, the venue of 36-hour protest.

Tarakarama Rao, son of TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao, and others were bodily lifted into the waiting police vehicles.

The TRS leader termed the police action “undemocratic and repressive”.

TRS politburo member Swami Goud was also arrested when he reached Gun Park near state assembly along with his supporters. They were planning to take out a rally to Indira Park.

Several leaders of JAC were taken into custody by the police in different parts of the city.

TRS legislators launched a protest at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the assembly premises when the police stopped them from marching to the protest venue.

Party leader E. Rajender alleged that police arrested thousands of Telangana activists across the region to foil the protest. He accused the government of bias.

“The government is allowing meetings in Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Andhra) but suppressing even peaceful protest in Telangana,” he said.

The police also took into custody women protestors reaching Indira Park.

Meanwhile, dozens of students were also arrested when they tried to march towards Raj Bhavan to lay siege.

Police stopped the students at Khairatabad crossroads as they were heading towards the official residence of the governor.

The MPs, who met here, decided to meet again Jan 29 to announce their future course of action.

The meeting was held to discuss the latest developments in view of Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad’s statement that a decision on Telangana issue was not likely by Jan 28.

The MPs reiterated that the central government should stick to the one-month deadline announced by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde after the all-party meeting Dec 28.

Senior leader K. Keshava Rao told reporters that they were ready to work with any party to achieve the goal of a separate state.

G. Vivek, one of the MPs, said if the central government failed to take a decision soon to carve out Telangana, it would have serious repercussions.

“This time we will have to take some hard decision because we are losing our credibility among the people in Telangana,” said MP S. Rajaiah.

“The Congress party’s image will suffer further damage,” warned Manda Jagannatham, at whose residence the meeting was held.

G. Sukhender Reddy said they would not hesitate to quit the party if it takes a decision against a Telangana state.

Meanwhile, TRS leader Harish Rao said if the central government failed to take a positive decision by Jan 28, all ministers from Telangana should resign.

Chandrasekhara Rao’s daughter K. Kavitha, who heads Telangana Jagruthi, a cultural organization, and her supporters staged a sit-in here to demand that the central government grants a Telangana state.

On the other side, protests continued in Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Andhra regions) urging the central government not to split Andhra Pradesh.

Supporters of Samaikhya or united Andhra laid siege to the residence of state minister Mohammed Ahmedullah in Kadapa demanding his resignation. Police arrested the protesters.

In Visakakhapatnam, the protesters laid siege to the house of Congress leader Subbirami Reddy.

Congress leaders from Seemandhra are attending a public meeting organised by Congress MP U. Arun Kumar in Rajhamundry to press the demand for keeping Andhra Pradesh united.