Post division, Rayalaseema MLAs want capital in their region

Hyderabad: Congress legislators from Rayalaseema on Wednesday demanded that capital should be established in their region after the division of Andhra Pradesh in view of the area`s backwardness.

"Kurnool (in Rayalaseema) was the capital of Andhra state, but we sacrificed it for Hyderabad in AP. The state is being divided again. Hyderabad is developed. Now, it is not clear where the capital will be established. Our proposal is that we should get the capital, because we sacrificed," Andhra Pradesh Law Minister E Pratap Reddy told reporters after a meeting of ministers and MLAs from Rayalaseema region. Rayalaseema has the highest number of drought-hit revenue divisions, he said. Expressing concerns over Rayalaseema`s share of water post-division, he said they will have to agitate if their concerns are not addressed. "Unless the package for Rayalaseema is specifically told to us, we cannot accept this," he said. State Minor Irrigation Minister T G Venkatesh said they are still committed to the cause of united Andhra Pradesh and would still make legal and other efforts to keep the state united. Rayalaseema`s interests should be protected in the process of division, he said. Replying to a query, Pratap Reddy said they had already given their resignations to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and would not hesitate to do it again. State Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath said the leaders of TDP and YSR Congress should try to get their parties vocally support united Andhra. He said they would hold a meeting of MLAs and other leaders tomorrow to chalk out their future course of action. PTI