Naidu gets Seema Andhra rider on T

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The proposed Telangana declaration by Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu has run into trouble in the Seema Andhra region. TD leaders from the region have reportedly cautioned Mr Naidu against giving blanket support to Telangana and have asked him instead to add a rider in the letter to the Centre so that the Congress and YSR Congress don’t cash in on it in the Seema Andhra region.

TD and Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi leader, Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy wants Mr Naidu to include the demand for a separate Rayalaseema in his letter to the Centre. It is learnt that Seema Andhra leaders like P. Keshav, MLA from Ananthapur, a staunch Samaikhya Andhra protagonist, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, MLA from Krishna district and others have requested Mr Naidu to consider two other options. The first is to add a rider to the letter asking the Centre to seek Congress and YSR Congress stance on the Telangana issue. The second is to put the ball in the Centre’s court to take a decision and promise TD to stand by it.

“It is better to ask the Centre to take a decision on Telangana than Telugu Desam jumping into the fray without any guarantee from the UPA,” an MLA said. T-Telugu Desam Forum and other Telangana leaders insist Mr Naidu stand by the 2008 party declaration supporting separate Telangana and send a letter to the Centre stating support to the demand for statehood. On his return from New Delhi, Mr Naidu may hold talks with Seema Andhra MLAs and other leaders to convince them on the need to support Telangana in order to save the party.