BJP may champion United Andhra Pradesh stir

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Rajahmundry: Following the prevailing political stalemate with both the ruling Congress and the principal Opposition, Telugu Desam, are losing their support among the voters in Seemandhra region as they supported the proposed bifurcation of the state, the BJP intends to champion the cause of the people from Seemandhra region to establish itself as a potential force to reckon with, in the ensuing polls in the state.
The BJP’s 70-member strong delegation, led by the three national executive committee members, including Haribabu, Shanta Reddy and Somu Veerraju from Seemandhra region met party’s national leaders L.K. Advani, Arjun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Naidu and others in New Delhi, on Wednesday, and sought their support to intervene with the Congress-led UPA government before it goes ahead with its proposed move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to form a separate Telangana state.
The delegation expressed apprehensions about sharing of water between Seemandhra and Telangana regions. They informed the BJP leaders that if Indira Sagar Polavaram project had to be completed, and the people, especially from Seemandhra region had enjoyed its benefits, Badrachalam division, which is currently in Khammam district, and a part of Telangana should be merged into East Godavari district.
They said that Badrachalam used to be part of East Godavari in 1953 and it was merged into Khammam district in 1959 for administrative convenience at that time.
The delegation wanted fixation of territory between Seemandhra and Telangana regions, before going ahead with the bifurcation.
The delegation explained about how TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao provoked the chief ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to seek legal intervention to stall the execution of the Polavaram project.
The delegation also sought clarification on how much quantum of water will be made available and the quantum of acreage for raising crops in both the regions.
With regard to the state capital Hyderabad, the delegation explained to the leaders that nearly 175 central institutions, including educational, research, defence and others, are existing in it and asked about the possibility of shifting them to both the regions evenly.
A BJP senior leader, it is learnt, have expressed the view that each region should share 50 per cent of such institutions, if viable. Issues related to educational opportunities and employment potential, for youngsters from Seemandhra region, in Hyderabad, were discussed.
The delegation is scheduled to meet home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj on Thursday to present their case.
When contacted, BJP national executive committee member Somu Veerraju said, “We are able to convince our leaders on the importance to safeguard the interests of Seemandhra region and we were assured that they would take them up with the Centre. We are confident that we will improve electoral prospects in both the regions during the polls.”