Do not split us, says Kiran Kumar Reddy

Visakhapatnam/ Rajahmundry: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday used the platform of Rachchabanda — the government’s mass contact programme — to restate his opposition to the bifurcation of the state.

He was ready to quit his post for the sake of united Andhra Pradesh, he said. Development would only occur when the state remains united; Telangana will lose more than Seemandhra if the state is bifurcated, Reddy said.

He was speaking during the third phase of the Rachchabanda at Chodavaram in Visakhapatnam district and Jagannadhapuram in West Godavari district.

“When a decision is taken, it should benefit people. People of both regions should hail that decision. But unfortunately, it is felt by all that this decision may not benefit large section of people. So we wish that the Centre reconsider its decision and keep the state united. They are trying to divide the state expeditiously, but all of us (Seemandhra Congress leaders) are trying to prevent division,” he said.

He asked how the government would divide such a large state when it comes to sharing of water, power and revenue. The Centre should honour the sentiments of the people in all the regions in an equal manner, he said.

Next: Kiran says YSRC, TD caused split

Kiran says YSRC, TD caused split

Visakhapatnam/ Rajahmundry: People of Chodavaram in Visakhapatnam district and Jagannadhapuram in West Godavari district applauded the Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy when he spoke out against bifurcation of the state.

However, he also defended the Congress leadership by saying that it took the decision favouring formation of Telangana only after getting the opinion of other political parties in. He was critical of Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu for his uncertain stand on bifurcation.

“Unfortunately, all parties had given letters, ahead of the Congress, in support of division. I fail to understand what (TDP Chief) Chandrababu Naidu has been saying for the last 100 days (since the CWC decision in favour of division). He says he favoured equal justice toall. Does it mean division or unity? He does not have the ability to stand for the unity of Telugus. He had a big role in division. There should be clarity of thought for someone who has been Chief Minster for nine years. As if the Centre does not know, YSR Congress Party said you can divide it under Article 3 (of the Constitution). Now, they talk of unity. Congress took a decision because all these people agreed,” he said.

Post bifurcation, the Maoist menace would increase in both regions— Khammam in Telangana and Visakhapatnam in Seemandhra.

He warned of a financial crisis in case of division. The state spends about Rs 43,000 crore on government employees’ salaries and pensions every year. If the state is bifurcated, both the states will have to spend another 50 per cent, which will be an additional burden for both the states.

All major projects such as Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam were completed because the state was one and farmers of both the regions sacrificed their land to provide irrigation for both regions. If the state is divided, the prestigious Polavaram dam project will hang fire, Reddy warned.

There will be shortage of power and water from the very first day after formation of the new state, he said.

Power consumption in Telangana was 115 mw per day, but the region generated less than 50 per cent of that. The Telangana region will need 135 million units of power if the state is divided, at a cost of Rs 35,000 crore, he said.

“It is only because of this strength that P.V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister of the country, while Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was honoured with the highest position of President of India. As long as we are united, the state remains strong. Once our state gets bifurcated, nobody gives us any importance,” he said.

He said he would explain all this to the Group of Ministers on Telangana on November 18 and ask for a rollback of the decision.