Kiran points finger at Cong. high command

“Seemandhra not responsible for denial of opportunities to ‘T’ leaders”

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has blamed the Congress high command for not giving ample opportunities to the leaders of Telangana to be Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and made it clear that the leaders or people of Seemandhra were not responsible for it.

“Division of the State is not necessary to undo the injustice done to Telangana with respect to Chief Minister’s post as people of Seemandhra won’t decide it. We all know who gives the post,” Mr. Kiran Reddy said speaking on the A.P. Reorganisation Bill, 2013 in the Assembly on Saturday.

Kiran clears the air

He also refuted the allegation that Chief Ministers from Telangana were not allowed to continue in office for long or to complete their term stating it was the party high command that would take such decisions based on the circumstances prevailing then. “Can Seemandhra people blame Telangana for the short stints of Bhavanam Venkatram, Nedurimilli Janardhana Reddy or Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy,” he asked.

‘No opposed to statehood for region’

The Chief Minister made it abundantly clear that he had no ill-will against statehood to Telangana, but was opposing the Bill as it would not only harm the interests of Telangana but that of Seemandhra too. Every family in Seemandhra has emotional attachment with Hyderabad since 1950s and the talk of bifurcation was hurting all those badly, he noted.

Phenomenal development in T

Reeling out statistics on the development achieved by Telangana in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Kiran Reddy said the region had registered phenomenal growth in agriculture, irrigation, education, power, employment and health sectors.

“It has become possible as all the Chief Ministers wanted development of the Telangana region and that is the reason why nobody questioned about pumping investments in Hyderabad,” he added.

Explaining the problems of common people with the division, the Chief Minister stated that the people from Chittoor and Nellore districts used to get free treatment in Madras General Hospital till 20 years after separation from Madras, but later they were not allowed to get treatment.

“Even government LoCs are not being accepted in Raya Vellore hospital now,” he added.