Welcoming the decision on Telangana, Lok Satta Party national president Jayaprakash Narayan however said the Centre should encourage a thorough discussion in the Assembly to address concerns of Rayalaseema and Andhra people to pave way for amicable agreement to take the process forward.
‘People hurt’
More than the decision, the manner in which it was taken by the UPA coordination committee and the national Congress leadership had hurt people in some parts of Seemandhra, he said.
The Centre should have involved all the stakeholders in arriving at a decision instead of giving an impression of riding roughshod over them.
Addressing media persons here on Wednesday, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayansaid that comprehensive and special plans for the development of backward and poverty-stricken areas in all the three regions were required.
He appealed to the youth in Seemandhra not to fall prey to the vote bank games of political parties.
The division of State was only political and not a calamity and the Constitution guaranteed the people the right and freedom to choose where they lived and worked, he added.
A new capital agreeable to Andhra and Rayalaseema should be decided but one should not make the mistake of confining development only to the capital city, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said and welcomed the Centre’s decision to give national status to Polavaram project as it would also benefit Rayalaseema and Telangana.
Dr.JP said formation of a new state would not bring about any transformation in people’s lives unless district governments were empowered and corruption eliminated.
