TD-Seemandhra leaders vow to intensify stir

Hyderabad, January 31: Opposing the bifurcation of the State, Seemandhra leaders of the TDP have decided to meet at NTR Bhavan, once the proposed Central committee on Telangana was announced officially. Andhra and Rayalaseema MLAs of the party met here Saturday and decided to intensify the agitation for united State.

However, they said that they would meet again once the Centre announces the committee on Telangana.

“We will chalk out future course of action after the proposed T committee is out,’’ a TDP MLA said.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters here, party MLA D Narendra Kumar said that they would oppose the bifurcation of the State tooth and nail. “We are for united Andhra and the Centre cannot decide on the fate of Andhra Pradesh,’’ he said. He further stated that if Telangana was carved out, there would be similar demands from other regions. He went to such an extent that the division of AP would lead to the division of the country.

Recalling statehood demands in 12 other states, he said why is the Centre not showing the same interest in them. Chidambaram and Veerappa Moily cannot decide the future of Andhra Pradesh, he pointed out.

“How will the core committee of the Congress decide on the bifurcation of the State unilaterally? We want a Constitutional committee to look into separate statehood demand,’’ he said.

Being a national party the Congress should have a national policy on bifurcation of states. The Congress should not behave like a regional party and constitute a committee only for the division of the state, he said.

D Uma Maheswara Rao alleged that Union Home Minister Chidambaram was imposing his personal agenda on the Congress. Chidambaram supported smaller states like Vidharbha and Telangana in his book “A view from outside’’.

TDP spokesperson Nannapaneni Rajakumari said that they would not accept division of the State at any cost.

–Agencies