Leaders for Greater Rayalaseema
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Anantapur: Worried about the decision by the Congress high command to announce a Telangana state, leaders from Rayalaseema are now demanding a Greater Rayalaseema state if AP is divided.
Though, Rayalaseeema Parirakshana Samithi founder Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy is alone in fighting for a separate Rayalaseema state, other top leaders including ministers are extending support to the Samaikyandhra movement.
However, indications from the Congress high command that it is planning to announce a Rayala-Telangana state has irked leaders from Rayalaseema.
Minor irrigation minister T.G. Venkatesh, who is also the founder of the Rayalaseema Hakkula Ikya Vedika, has been strongly opposing the division of the state with a single point agenda of Samaikyandhra. He had never supported the demand for a Rayalasemma state.
But, Venkatesh took a U-turn on Sunday calling for a Greater Rayalaseema state if AP is divided. “We have been asking about the future of Rayalaseema ever since the Telangana issue started. We cannot accept the move to create a Rayala Telangana state by cutting Seema into pieces,” he said.
“We are struggling to keep the state united, but if division is inevitable we don’t want to merge with any other state,” T.G. Venkatesh said.
Blaming Telugu Desam and the YSR Congress for submitting a letter in favour of Telangana state, he said that the Centre was moving towards dividing Andhra Pradesh as the parties did not object to a separate Telangana.
The Rayalaseema Ikya Hakkula Vedika put forward a demand that Greater Rayalaseema should be created with six districts if state division becomes inevitable. He suggested that Nellore and Prakasam, which were in the erstwhile Rayalaseema region can be merged in the new Greater Rayalaseema state.
Sources said that most leaders from Rayalseema were confused about the options possible. It may be noted that Tadipatri MLA J.C. Diwakar Reddy of the Congress was backing a Rayala-Telangana state.
Meanwhile, ministers and MPs from Rayalaseema are mounting pressure on the Congress high command to keep the state united.
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