Telangana will be blocked if justice is not done to Seemandhra: Venkaiah

Anantapur: Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu warned here on Sunday that the party would block the State bifurcation process if no justice was done to Seemandhra.

Addressing a public meeting organised as part of the ‘Modi for PM campaign’, he said the party won’t keep quiet if the Centre went ahead with Telangana without rendering justice to Seemandhra.

Naidu wanted Polavaram to be taken up as a national project and the areas to be submerged to be clubbed in Seemandhra, besides allocation of surplus river waters, before the bifurcation process was taken forward.

He said the party won’t accept the State’s division with a political motive if no justice was done to desert areas, like Anantapur, and the backward Rayalaseema. He accused the Congress of causing a row between people of two regions and Chief Ministers from Rayalaseema failing to develop the region.

Naidu assured the gathering that the party after winning the 2014 elections under Modi would ensure development of backward and drought-affected areas in the State. He contended that Hyderabad belonged to all, adding that the party would stand by the Seemandhra people if the State was divided.

Several Samaikyandhra supporters raised go back slogans against Naidu. They were arrested.

Ashwamedha Trust chairman N T Chowdary along with hundreds of his supporters, besides several leaders from Chittoor and Kadapa districts, joined BJP in the presence of Naidu.

Addressing the meeting, Chowdary said he had joined the party in the country’s interest and to back Modi’s leadership. He asserted that BJP symbolized the country’s culture and it alone could provide a stable government.

State BJYM president Vishnuvardhan Reddy, State leaders Parthasaradhy, Haribabu spoke. Telugu Desam legislator Payyavula Keshav met Naidu.