Senior Congress leader D. Srinivas on Tuesday expressed confidence that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC President Botcha Satyanarayana would fall in line with the Congress high command’s decision to bifurcate the State.
At a ‘Meet-the-Press’ organised by the Telangana Journalists’ Forum, Mr. Srinivas was asked about reports that the Chief Minister and the PCC president had appended their signatures to the representation sent by Seemandhra public representatives to the party high command seeking a reversal of the decision to create Telangana State.
Mr. Srinivas said he was not aware if they signed. He was leaving it to their wisdom in case they had signed it.
They would fully cooperate with the Centre and the high command. “I am confident that both will cooperate in the implementation of the government’s decision,” he added.
On reports that Mr. Kiran and Mr. Satyanaryana were not aware of the high command’s decision till the Congress Working Committee meeting, he pointed out that the Chief Minister and the PCC president had been attending all-party meetings convened by the Centre since 2010. Besides, they were also invited by the core committee. Normally, such decisions would not be taken without consulting them.
“Rayala-Telangana’ talk speculative”
Regarding the talk on ‘Rayala-Telangana,’ the former PCC president dubbed it speculative. He said the CWC had clearly stated that Telangana State with 10 districts would be carved out, while Hyderabad would be joint capital for 10 years.
The talk of permanent capital was not practical and meaningless. Nobody would also agree to a Union Territory status for Hyderabad.
Mr. Srinivas said the CWC took the decision after wide-ranging consultations with various stakeholders. Describing the decision to create Telangana State as “irreversible”, he exuded confidence that the required constitutional process would be completed in four to five months as the Centre was moving with speed on the issue.
He said people from Seemandhra who have been living for decades in Hyderabad were Telanganites and assured that the Congress would not tolerate any ill-treatment to them.
“Their interests will be safe. There is no word like settlers in the dictionary of the Congress.” I am giving them solid assurance that they would enjoy all constitutional rights”, he asserted.
Replying to a question, he said Chief Minister would have to act firmly if the police did not control the agitation in Seemandhra region.
