VIJAYAWADA: After a gap of several months, clash between politicians of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana surfaced with both sides launching a broadside against each other and daring the other to visit their State to know the development they have achieved.
The two States have been at loggerheads with each other over various issues earlier and water sharing is one among them. The dispute over river water sharing has even gone to the extent of complaining against each other with the Centre as well as river boards and tribunals.
The Expression of Interest invited by RINL for partnering with Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and Telangana State government expressing its interest to participate in it had once again saw the two sides exchanging barbs.
However, it was Telangana State Health Minister T Harish Rao who stirred the hornet’s nest on Tuesday. Harish Rao, addressing a group of workers at industrial area in Sangareddy, said workers from Andhra Pradesh have also enrolled as voters in Telangana and asked them to remain as voters in their State. He went on to add that TS is better developed than AP.
On Wednesday, responding to Harish Rao’s remarks, Andhra Pradesh Civil Supplies Minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao said the Telangana leader spoke ‘rubbish’ and dared him to visit any village of the State and see the development. “Come and visit a village. See the development of our schools, the welfare measures and then comment,’’ he said and added that several houses remain under water when it rains in Hyderabad.
YSRC MLC Lella Appireddy went a step further and said the (Kalvakuntla) family has been looting Telangana.Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana also took Harish Rao to task. “Who is he to talk about AP. It is better if he minds his State. People of the State know about our governance and Harish Rao is making such comments to derive political mileage,’’ he observed.
Harish Rao picked up the gauntlet and criticised both the ruling and opposition parties in AP for leaving people’s problems and working only for their own interests. “The Centre did not grant Special Category Status to your State and is now targeting Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, but you don’t dare to talk,’’ he said.
“The ruling party does not raise its voice while the Opposition does not question there,’’ Harish Rao said and added that the AP leaders were overreacting to his casual remarks.
In turn, Harish Rao took exception to AP leaders as to what is there in Telangana and dared them to visit his State. “You will find 56 lakh acres of rabi crop, free power supply to borewells, KCR kits, Kalyana Lakshmi, Rythu Bandhu for farmers and there is Rythu Bima,” Harish Rao asserted.