The demand for a Greater Rayalaseema state with ten districts has surfaced again ahead Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the region.
As popularly understood, Greater Rayalaseema would include the present Andhra Pradesh districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur, Nellore and Prakasam plus Vellore and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu and Raichur, Bellary and Kolar in Karnataka.
The Rayalaseema Rashtra Samithi (RRS) made the pitch in a representation to Mr. Gandhi, pointing out poorer development in Rayalaseema in comparison to Telangana and Coastal Andhra.
While blaming the Congress for the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, RRS founder president Kunchem Venkatasubba Reddy urged Mr. Gandhi to undo the damage by carving out a separate state of Rayalaseema including in it erstwhile contiguous districts that are now part of neighbouring states.
As an immediate step, Mr. Reddy urged Mr. Gandhi to fight for a development package for Rayalaseema including doubled and electrified railway lines, an international airport in Tirupati, establishment of a High Court, Telugu University, Central University and Telugu Academy, software and biotechnology parks, besides expediting irrigation projects like Galeru Nagari, Handri Neeva, Telugu Ganga and Pothireddypadu.
