BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s remarks trigger sharp reactions; Telangana Congress, BRS leaders demand apology

Strong political reactions erupted in Telangana following ‘controversial’ remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya in Parliament on Thursday (April 16, 2026), where he compared the “division of Andhra Pradesh” [formation of Telangana] with partition of India. He said that the way Congress, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), divided undivided Andhra Pradesh into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was worse than the way the British partitioned India and Pakistan.

The comments triggered criticism from leaders across party lines, with Telangana BC Welfare and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao seeking an apology and terming his statement as an affront to Telangana’s identity and history.