AP BJP to send state unit chief for Telangana all-party meet

The Andhra Pradesh BJP unit has decided to send two of its representatives, to attend the all-party meeting on Telangana issue.

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh BJP unit has decided to send two of its representatives, including the state party chief to attend the all-party meeting on Telangana issue on December 28 at New Delhi. Announcing this at a press conference here, BJP state unit president G Kishan Reddy said that he himself and the party`s national executive member K Haribabu would attend the meeting to express the party`s stand on the issue of separate statehood for Telangana region.

Haribabu hails from Visakhapatnam in Andhra region. To a query, Reddy said the party did not receive any response to its letter written to Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on December 19. In the letter, the party had requested Shinde to invite AICC president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the meeting, besides TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and YSRC honorary president Vijayamma to settle the issue (Telangana) once for all as these parties have not made their stand clear so far. "We will reiterate our party`s stand which is in favour of smaller states," Reddy said. Shinde has invited eight recognised political parties of the state and asked them to nominate two representatives each for the conclave on the issue of separate statehood for Telangana region. Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the reported remarks of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana questioning the need for women to roam in streets at midnight, Reddy strongly condemned it and quipped, "let Satyanarayana, being the transport minister, stop the bus services from 6 pm to 6 am daily." Satyanarayana had yesterday said, "Do we roam in streets at midnight as we got Independence at midnight ? It would have been better if the girl did not travel by a private bus at that time." However, realising the possible fallout of his remarks, he had re-convened a press conference and retracted his words. PTI