The Antony Committee heard only one voice, loud and clear. “Keep Andhra Pradesh united or face the rout.” Waving a red flag to the Centre’s decision on bifurcation of the State, a large delegation of Seemandhra Congress leaders on Tuesday night said in Delhi that they would accept nothing short of united Andhra Pradesh. Emphasising that the bifurcation move would be suicidal, they warned that the ruling party would be wiped out in Seemandhra region.
A day after the Telangana Congress leaders made a fervent appeal to the Antony panel to honour the CWC decision to carve out Telangana, the Seemandhra leaders went ballistic as they bombarded the committee with a long list of issues that needed to be addressed before the Centre goes ahead with the division. Capping a day of fast-paced developments, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy met AICC general secretary in-charge of AP affairs Digvijay Singh and Antony and told them in no uncertain terms that bifurcation would harm the interests of the two States.
In what is believed to be a forceful presentation, a dozen Seemandhra Ministers and elected representatives wondered as how the decision to divide the State would benefit the Congress. “Is the decision taken with an eye on votes or national interest?” a senior leader sought to know.
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“The party would be routed in Seemandhra. The agitation is rising like a volcano with overwhelming participation of people from all walks of life,” a Minister thundered before the committee.
During the 90-minute meeting, the leaders were firm that bifurcation was uncalled for and not in the interest of AP. Emerging from the meeting, Minister for School Education S. Sailajanath told reporters that they delegation told the panel that they would accept nothing short of a united State.
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“We dwelt at length as to why the State should be kept united. Many issues such as river water sharing, employment, economic development, agriculture, HRD and other key issues are linked to bifurcation,” he said.