KCR: Telangana State in 15 days

Unfazed by Assembly developments

• Centre is 100% determined to keep word on T

• There can be no duplicate or original Bill

• Elections will be held in both States

• BJP will not change its stand like Seemandhra leaders

• Rs 10 lakh, job to be given to kin of T martyrs

• Wants to convert into a Bangaru Telangana

Hyderabad: Hours after the State Assembly rejected the AP State Reorganisation Bill with a voice vote, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said that it would not have any bearing on the statehood process.

He said that he spoke to key ministers in the Union government who said that the Centre was determined to pass the Bill in both Houses of Parliament and create Telangana State within 15 days. Talking to reporters at the party office here on Thursday, Rao appealed to the Telangana youth not to get dejected by the false propaganda of Seemandhra leaders and sections of the media.

He pointed out that the Bill was referred to the Assembly only for expression of its views and nothing beyond that. It was very unfortunate that the Chief Minister and the leader of Opposition criticised constitutional posts of President and Prime Minister on this issue. The Centre hoped that Seemandhra sections would put forward their demands but all leaders including TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress Party's YS Vijayamma failed to utilise the opportunity, he lamented.

The TRS president particularly lashed out at the media, whom he accused of taking a partisan stand even though the Telangana process had reached its final stage. Would they speak against the aspirations of public even after the formation of the State, he questioned. Rao was also critical of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s stand regarding the Bill sent by the President. He wondered whether there was ever anything called original Bill or duplicate Bill. Rao, however, stressed that there was scope for making changes in the Bill at various stages until Parliament gives its final approval. Rao said that he had objections regarding distribution of government employees and pensioners, which would be brought to the notice of the Prime Minister shortly. If the Centre failed to respond, Rao stated that he would give an amendment on this subject and even voice his opinion in Parliament.

The TRS president supported the proposal for increasing Assembly seats in Telangana State. He, however, said that the delimitation of constituencies in Telangana State would come into effect only from 2019 elections onwards.

Rao informed that he would request the Prime Minister not to delay Assembly elections but hold it along with the general elections. Rao also said that there was no question of BJP, the principal opposition party, going back on its word regarding Telangana. BJP national executive had taken a decision in this regard a few years ago. The TRS chief said that his party had not thought much about who would form the government in the new Telangana State. “TRS does not have the required numbers and hence we are not reading too much into it,” he said.

Rao, however, said that this was a special occasion since his life ambition of separate Telangana State was going to be fulfilled soon. In spite of severe hardships and mental agony inflicted upon him in the last 14 years, Rao stated that he continued his journey to ultimately achieve his goal. He said he was successful in whatever target he had fixed, whether becoming an MLA or a minister etc. “Now my immediate ambition is to transform this Telangana into a ‘Bangaru Telangana’(Golden Telangana),” Rao added.

He said that he would be leaving for New Delhi on Friday to meet key national leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP chief Rajnath Singh and even Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He felt that Sonia was chiefly responsible for conceding Telangana State.

Rao,however, credited martyrs sacrifices for formation of Telangana state. He said that Telangana government would offer an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh and a job to the kin of each martyr who sacrificed his life for the cause.