Ahead of his scheduled meeting with the Group of Ministers in New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has raised his anti-Telangana pitch warning the Centre that proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will turn out to be atom bomb which will create more and bigger problems.
Reddy, who addressed a series of meeting as part of his Government’s Rachabanda pragramme in coastal Andhra region said that if the Centre still goes ahead with the bifurcation of the State, he will be forced to go his own way. This was being seen as a subtle threat of his parting ways with the Congress party.
Promising to raise his voice against bifurcation strongly before the GoM on Monday, the Chief Minister called upon the people to lend him their full support. “Bifurcation will be more harmful for Telangana than Seemandhra,” he told a series of meetings in Krishna district.
Kiran will be in New Delhi on a day when the Supreme Court will be hearing a bunch of petitions questioning the legality of Centre’s move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Several prominent legal and constitutional experts will appear before the Supreme Court to seek a stay on the process. The opponents of Telangana State, especially the political leaders of Seemandhra regions were confident that the Supreme Court will give a favorable verdict derailing the Central Government’s plans to divide the State.
GoM’s interaction with the Chief Minister will mark near completion of the process of consultations by the senior Cabinet Ministers with the leadership of Andhra Pradesh on 11 different issues associated with bifurcation. They include the status of Hyderabad city, sharing of river waters, revenue and power.
Meanwhile, continuing his diatribe against Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association president Ashok Babu threatened that lakhs of his supporters will occupy Hyderabad if the Centre insists on formation of Telangana State.
“If the Telangana Bill comes up for debate in the State Assembly, we will either organise a Million March or Occupy Hyderabad programme,” he said.
Worried over the spate of reports that various reports including the recommendations by Antony Committee and Task Force set up by the Union Home Ministry had given unfavorable reports, the Telangana Congress leaders have also decided to rush to New Delhi.
Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy who had a meeting with the other party leaders from Telangana region told the media that a report was prepared for the GoM. He asserted that Telangana leaders had no intention of causing any injustice to Seemandhra regions.
Bhadrachalam in Khammam division, famous for its historic Rama temple on the banks of Godavari has become a major bone of contention between Telangana supporters and opponents with latter insisting that even if the bifurcation becomes inevitable, Bhadrachalam should be with residuary State of Andhra Pradesh.
This assertion was also made in the report submitted by the Chief Secretary PK Mohanty on behalf of the State Government. A similar demand was now raised by the Union Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao.
“Bhadrachalam division was originally in Andhra region but it was merged with Khammam district after the formation of Andhra Pradesh State,” he said. Union Minster made the remarks when he faced the wrath of the pro-United Andhra Pradesh protestors in Polvaram mandal of West Godavari district. The protestors blocked the convoy of the minister demanding that he should strongly oppose the bifurcation of the State. The Minister assured the protesters that he will advocate their cause before the Group of Minister.
The state government report submitted to the GOM also contended that the Polavaram irrigation project will lead to submergence of many areas in Bhadrachalam division. Hence it should be part of Andhra region. Otherwise it will lead to inter state dispute over Polavaram, it contended.
Angered over these claims, the Telangana supporters were bracing up for another round of agitation focusing on Bhadrachalam. Telangana Joint Action Committee has already called for 72 hour strike which will end on Sunday. The Telangana government employees were also supporting the cause of Bhadrachalam. TNGO President Devi Prasad made it clear that the employees will not accept any Telangana which compromises on the status of Hyderabad and Bhadrachalam division.