Dampening the enthusiasm of the Union ministers from Seemandhra who are persuading the Centre to make Hyderabad a Union territory, AICC state affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh is learnt to have categorically told them that the status of Hyderabad was non-negotiable.
Sources said he conveyed to them the party’s resolve to keep Hyderabad with Telangana state forever.
It is learnt when Union minister K Chiranjeevi called on Digvijaya Singh the other day and pleaded with him to make Hyderabad either a Union territory or a joint capital for both states permanently, the AICC point man is reportedly ruled out that possibility.
“Formation of Telangana state and keeping Hyderabad with it are not at all open to discussion. The Congress Working Committee has categorically resolved to continue Hyderabad as part and parcel of the T-state. We will help Seemandhra develop its own capital on a par with Hyderabad. For that, we will try to give your region a good financial package,” Singh was quoted as saying.
Sources divulged that when other Union ministers like MM Pallam Raju and D Purandeswari met Singh over the same issue, the AICC point man gave a similar reply to them too.
Instead of making Hyderabad either a Union territory or a permanent joint capital, Singh is learnt to have assured the Seemandhra leaders that the Centre would try to address the apprehensions of Seemandhra settlers in Hyderabad over their safety and security by putting in place some legal safeguards in the T-bill.
Rayala Telangana
Following this, some Seemandhra leaders are understood to be backing the proposal of ‘Rayala Telangana’ state which is proposed to be formed by joining Kurnool and Anantapur districts with Telangana. Andhra and Rayalaseema leaders are of the opinion that Rayala Telangana state will dilute the T-sentiment and thereby allay the fears of Seemandhra settlers in Hyderabad.
Interestingly, Union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy has sought an appointment with his party supremo Sonia Gandhi for Tuesday. Reddy is understood to have decided to request the AICC supremo to form Rayala Telangana state when he calls on her along with his party MLAs from Kurnool district.
Delhi yatra
After reconciling themselves to the fact that bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh is certain, the Seemandhra Congress flock, which includes ministers, has decided to put in their last-ditch efforts at the AICC level and begun undertaking Delhi yatra.
Ministers Kanna Lakshminarayana, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy and Erasu Pratap Reddy left for the national capital on Monday, whereas some other ministers such as Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Sake Sailajanath will go to Delhi on Tuesday. Following the announcement by the Union finance minister P Chidambaram in Rajya Sabha that the constitutional process to form T-state has begun, some Seemandhra ministers headed by Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Sake Sailajanath went into a huddle.