Telangana, Seemandhra leaders step up lobbying in Delhi

Hyderabad: The Telangana and Seemandhra leaders have intensified their lobbying in New Delhi. While the APNGOs met AK Antony Committee on Monday and propose to meet the leaders of all other national parties on Tuesday, the TRS legislators are leaving for Delhi on Tuesday to put pressure on the Centre to take the process of bifurcation forward.

The Seemandhra leaders including APNGO president Ashok babu who are opposing bifurcation, feel that the Centre should first try to make some statement that could help in restoring normalcy in the Seemandhra region. The issue of bifurcation can be discussed and sorted out after that, he felt.

Senior Congress leaders from Seemandhra region Kanna Lakshminarayana, Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao and C Ramachandraiah and others feel that once normalcy was restored, then they can try and convince the people and party high command to consider the proposal for giving Union Territory status for Hyderabad and a special package for Seemandhra region. Union Ministers, K Chiranjeevi, Kishore Chandra Deo, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, state ministers C Ramachandraiah, Kanna Lakshminarayana and PCC president Botcha Satyanaryana are said to be backing such a proposal. In fact Kishore Chandra Deo even pleaded for trifurcation of the State.

Meanwhile, former minister JC Diwakar Reddy on Monday said that soon a meeting of advocates from the region would be held to discuss the proposal to lobby for Rayala Telangana. He said, after the meeting approves the proposal, group of advocates and leaders would meet the BJP leaders in Delhi and will ask them to support their move for Rayala Telangana. Diwakar Reddy said that during his interaction with the leaders in New Delhi, he has come to the conclusion that the party high command was in no mood to reverse its decision on carving T state and hence they should pitch in for Rayala Telangana. Even MIM would not oppose the proposal, he felt. Diwakar Reddy said some of the MLAs from this region have already submitted letters suggesting merging Kurnool and Anantapur with Telangana.