BJP national leader M Venkaiah Naidu today made it clear that his party would decide extending support to Telangana Bill being presented in Parliament after thoroughly studying it.
However, Venkaiah Naidu said the BJP was committed for Telangana State and a clear picture would emerge after two days. “We have submitted some constructive suggestions to the Centre keeping in view of development of two regions. But, it seems our suggestions were not taken for consideration”, he bemoaned. He said one of the suggestions related to the villages which will be submerged in the Polavaram project. But the Centre has not given any assurance in this regard, he lamented.
The BJP leader said one of GoM members and Union minister Jairam Ramesh met him and discussed in detail. But the points discussed during the meeting with Jairam Ramesh, Digvijay Singh and Ahmed Patel were not mentioned in the note submitted to the Union Cabinet which approved the bill.
“There was no legality to surplus waters of lift irrigations of Yelimineti Madhav Reddy, Kalwakurti, Galeru Nagari, Handri Neeva and Velgodu”, Naidu said and added that there was no clarity how to cover up revenue loss.
Giving details of revenue figures, Naidu said Coastal Andhra has 684 crore surplus budget while Rayalaseema has 7,600 deficit budget, Telangana 8400 crore deficit budget and Hyderabad has 12,854 crore surplus budget. In the circumstances, if the State was divided, Telangana would be treated as surplus budget and Andhra Pradesh will have deficit budget. The Centre did not give any information how to cover up this deficit budget, he alleged.
It was Centre’s responsibility to ensure there should not be any deficit budget after bifurcation and it was not proper on the part of the Centre to say that the issue has been referred to 14th Finance Commission. He further said, “the party gave suggestions on education, employment and setting up of Industries. But the Congress party ignored our suggestion and indulged in mud-slinging on our party and spreading misinformation. We will face unitedly the misinformation campaign being spread by the Congress and people are watching the games of the ruling party”, he said.
Criticizing Rahul Gandhi for making adverse comment against RSS, the BJP leader termed the allegation as “baseless” and Congress has no moral right to criticize RSS. (NSS)