Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has expressed the policy decision of Telangana government to support special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
TRS Parliamentary party leader K. Keshava Rao had already declared this stand several times in Rajya Sabha because Telangana government had no issues with the people of Andhra Pradesh. It had problems only with people like his AP counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu who set up obstacles, Mr. Rao said in his final election rally for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the State at Vikarabad on Monday. Taking a dig at Mr. Naidu, Mr. Rao warned that the former will forfeit his deposit in the coming elections in AP. Mr. Naidu lacked understanding on Telangana government’s position on Polavaram project taken up by AP. His government was not against the project, but submergence of land in Telangana.
It claimed the due share of Telangana in water allocation of Godavari over which the project was coming up. The government adopted “live and let live” policy towards people of both the States.
He blamed Mr. Naidu for carrying out a false propaganda in AP elections that the former set up obstacles to special category status. There was no need for Telangana government to stall the concession of status by behind the scene operations. It was Mr. Naidu who operated secretively.
Mr. Rao also accused Mr. Naidu of lowering himself in public life. The people of Telangana were not so mean. They were large hearted. The AP government was ill equipped to construct Polavaram project. The Telangana government always wanted construction of the project because a huge quantity of water from Godavari flowed into sea otherwise. It was no different this year as 2,600 tmc ft water went down into sea.
He made light of Mr. Naidu and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan on their criticism of YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy on the issue of special category status.