Andhra Pradesh ministers divided on Telangana

New Delhi: Sharp divisions in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet came to fore on Tuesday when a ministerial team met the GoM on Telangana with the Deputy Chief Minister favouring an early decision while his colleagues sought a rethink on dividing the state.

The three-member delegation of Andhra Pradesh Congress, comprising Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, Minister for Tourism & Culture Vatti Vasant Kumar and Minister for Primary Education Sailajanath, met the GoM here.

Make Hyderabad only an interim capital: Parties

While Narasimha demanded that the Bill on Telangana be brought in the upcoming session of Parliament, the Ministers from Seemandhra region urged the GoM to review its decision on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

"We told the GoM why don't you review your decision and take a step back. All contentious issues have started cropping up and are magnifying day-by-day," Vasant Kumar told PTI.

The GoM is in a state of confusion as they are unable to understand what is happening, he claimed. However, Narasimha stated that the GoM was urged to expedite the process of introducing the Telangana bill in the winter session of the Parliament starting on December 5.

He further stated that Telangana is a reality and they would stand by the decision of Congress Working Committee (CWC). Meanwhile, TRS has informed the GoM that infringement in the State administration in the name of law and order will not be tolerated.

"The Centre State relations with Telangana should be like with 28 other States in the country. Tinkering with the administration in the name of law and order will not be tolerated by the society and our party," TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao told reporters.

On the other hand, BJP, CPI and All India Majlis -e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have agreed on a proposal for Hyderabad functioning as an interim capital for a reasonable time after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, but opposed any move to make it a joint capital for a prolonged period.

The three parties on Tuesday conveyed this here to the Group of Ministers looking into the process of bifurcation of the state. "We do not believe in joint and common capital. Hyderabad Mandal comprising of assembly and secretariat should be made the interim working capital for a reasonable time," AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who is MP from Hyderabad, said.

He stressed that nowhere in the world there is a capital for one country in another. "How can you have a capital of a state, which is 180 kilometers away in another state? This is not possible," he told reporters.

Owaisi also decried claims of a section of Union Ministers from Andhra Pradesh that there were threats to Seemandhra people. The AIMIM leader said law and order should not be brought under Centre's control after the creation of the new state.

BJP state president G Kishan Reddy said that his party was committed to creation of Telangana and demanded that the Telangana bill be introduced during the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

Echoing similar views, Andhra Pradesh CPI secretary Narayana said separate capital must be created for Seemandhra within 10 years. "They can choose between Vijayawada and Ongole for being developed as capital cities," he suggested.