Expressing concern over the way a few anti-Telangana forces were trying to stall the process of state bifurcation, speakers at a Dasara get-together programme ‘Alai Balai’ organised by senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya at Jal Vihar on the Necklace Road here on Tuesday called upon leaders from all political parties of the region to work together to achieve the goal of separate Telangana state.
Senior Telangana Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanta Rao said Congress president Sonia Gandhi had fulfilled her promise by announcing the state bifurcation and that now it was the duty of the BJP to see that the Telangana Bill was passed in Parliament. “Congress has done its part and now its up to the BJP to see that the Telangana Bill is passed in the parliament without any hurdle,’’ he said.
Coming down heavily on chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, he said that the CM had time and again said that he would abide by the party’s decision on state bifurcation but when the party took the decision in favour of bifurcation he took a U-turn and was even challenging the party leadership on the issue.
Terming TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s agitations against the state bifurcation as dramas, he alleged that both the leaders were not sincere and were agitating against the bifurcation only for political gains. “Chandrababu Naidu who demanded a package for the Seemandhra region when the CWC announced its decision to bifurcate the state has now changed his stand and is talking about ‘Equal justice’’, he alleged.
CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakara Reddy said that the formation of the Telangana state could not be stopped at this juncture and it would be a reality soon.
Telangana JAC chairman M Kodandaram said the state was being divided only geographically and the people of both the regions could continue to live in harmony even after the division.
Panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy said the leaders from Telangana region should maintain restraint and see that the Telangana state was achieved peacefully.
Dattatraya said that that next year he would ensure that the chief ministers of both Telangana and Andhra states took part in the ‘Alai Balai’ programme.