The YSR Congress and CPM, during their interaction with the Group of Ministers (GoM) separately on Wednesday, stoutly opposed any move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and put forth their justification for keeping the state united.
On the second day of the scheduled all-party meet convened by the GoM to elicit views and suggestions of the political stake holders in the state in connection with the bifurcation process, today the YSR Congress Party and CPM representatives attended the meeting. The Telugu Desam, however, did not attend the meeting as per its earlier decision and it preferred to send a memorandum to the President of India instead.
Representing the CPM, B.V.Raghavulu and Julakanti Ranga Reddy reiterated the demand for keeping the state united and explained why it was imperative to stop the bifurcation process. They highlighted various issues and problems that would crop up in both Telangana and Seemandhra regions after bifurcation. However they made it clear that whether the state remained united or divided, the central government should take appropriate measures for the development of the backward areas in all the regions.
The CPM also demanded that the central government should provide required funds for the completion of Kalwakurthy, Nettampadu, Handri Neeva and Galeru Nagiri projects. When asked about the party’s views on the issue of merging Bhadrachalam division with Seemamndhra and also regarding Polavaram project, Raghavulu and Ranga Reddy opposed any move to merge Bhadrachalam division with Andhra. They stressed that the division should remain as part of Khammam district. They also felt the need for changing the designs of Polavaram project.
As expected the YSR Congress strongly pleaded for keeping the state united. The party senior leaders M. V. Mysoora Reddy and G. Ramchander questioned the decision of the CWC to bifurcate the state when 70 percent of the people were opposed to such a move.
The YSR Congress Party leaders alleged that the Congress decision to divide the state was taken unilaterally with an eye on votes and seats in the ensuing elections. When there were similar demands for smaller states in different parts of the country, why the Congress was bent upon dividing Andhra Pradesh, they questioned.(NSS).
