At a time when the Telangana votaries have lost confidence in the Congress high command over the separate state issue, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana has again rekindled their hopes by saying that the issue of state's bifurcation will be addressed soon and the solution, which is in the mind of the Congress high command, will settle the issue once and for all times.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, the PCC chief said that the Congress high command had total clarity on how to solve the issue and made it clear that the party was not against bifurcation of the state. “What was wrong if Telugu-speaking people had two states when Hindi- speaking people had 13?” he asked and said there was nothing wrong if Andhra Pradesh was divided into two states.
“The fate of the state will be decided by the Centre. The PCC will support any decision to be taken by the Centre and the Congress high command in this regard,” he affirmed.
Stating that states would not be divided on the basis of backwardness, he said that districts like Adilabad, Anantapur and those in north Andhra should be declared as separate states if backwardness was n criterion for forming new states.
About the government's decision to allow the Telangana March in Hyderabad on Sunday, the PCC chief said that the government gave permission after considering several factors including law and order.
“Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy held discussions with the ministers and decided to give permission for Telangana March only after obtaining a written assurance from the TJAC that they would conduct the march peacefully,” he said.
Criticising TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, the PCC chief said Naidu's so-called clarity letter to the prime minister on Telangana only created more confusion in his party. As for his proposed padayatra, the TDP chief was trying to cheat the people again, he said.
He supported the decision of Union minister V Kishore Chandra Suryanarayana Deo to cancel bauxite mining leases. “In the capactiy of Union tribal welfare minister, he is authorised to cancel the mining leases and I welcome his decision. I will also try to see that the state government will act on his directions.” The PCC was shortlisting some names of people for nominating them to various posts in the government and the list would be finalised shortly, Satyanrayana said.