Dangerous to make a person from ‘RSS school’ Prez: Jaipal Reddy

Hyderabad, June 23

Questioning Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s support to NDA’s presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind, Congress leader S Jaipal Reddy on Friday opined it is “dangerous” to make a person with “political education in RSS school” the President.

“He (President) is the custodian of the Constitution.

“When you elect for that post, it is not only shameful but also dangerous to make the person who only had his political education in the RSS school,” he told reporters here.

Reddy, however, hastened to add that the Congress is not opposed to Kovind as an individual.

Reddy, a former Union Minister, dubbed the Opposition-sponsored candidate Meira Kumar as an “embodiment of secular and democratic values.

“There is nobody who is more eligible than her,” he said.

Alleging that Chandrasekhar Rao had a “clandestine agreement” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he claimed the Chief Minister had announced support to NDA even before the candidate was known.

“When a decision is taken, the reasons for that decision should be explained. What is your (Rao) clarification? Why are you supporting so unconditionally?” Reddy asked.

Rao and BJP chief Amit Shah criticised each other recently, but the Chief Minister announced support to NDA in the presidential election, he said.

Reddy reiterated that Rao had pro-BJP leanings.

Countering Jaipal Reddy’s statement, TRS MLC Karne Prabhakar said his party is neither in NDA nor in UPA, and sought to know as to why the TRS was not approached by the Opposition for support.

How would Jaipal Reddy explain the support of JD(U), an ally of Congress, to the NDA candidate in the presidential elections, he asked. PTI