Kurnool: Former BJP Rajya Sabha member TG Venkatesh dismissed rumours about Tollywood Megastar Chiranjeevi joining the BJP. Though Chiranjeevi and his brother and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan share good relations with Prime Minister Modi, but, it does not imply party membership, he pointed out.

Addressing a media conference here on Friday, Venkatesh highlighted that the BJP is part of the State’s governance. He emphasised his efforts, along with other Rayalaseema residents, to fight for a united Andhra Pradesh during the state’s bifurcation process.

He reminded that TRS leaders demanded separate Telangana, claiming the region was underdeveloped. Certain Union Ministers supported Telangana during bifurcation, but under the leadership of the then Chief Minister K Rosaiah, the division was opposed. Efforts were made to delay the bifurcation for three to four years. Venkatesh acknowledged Telangana’s progress after the bifurcation but stressed the need for cooperation. He urged Telangana leadership to resolve issues related to shared assets and properties.

He expressed concern over Andhra Pradesh’s financial state, calling it bankrupt, and pointed out that the ongoing Central government projects must be completed. He suggested Chief Ministers of both the States to hold discussions on key projects. He revealed that a request was made to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to prioritise an irrigation project over an iconic bridge. However, the then State government failed to take decisive action. He criticised the careless spending of hundreds of crores of rupees on projects without proper approvals and called for action against responsible officials. Condemning attacks on temples, the former Rajya Sabha member demanded a thorough investigation and strict punishment to the culprits. Responding to the alleged attacks on Arya Vysya communities, he warned legislators of both the States that they will not keep quite if their people are attacked.

Venkatesh appreciated Minister TG Bharath for his efforts to bring an industrial revolution to Kurnool, with several projects in the pipeline. He assured industrialists of a favourable environment within seven months.