Jagan, Jaipal flay plan to merge Rayalaseema districts with Telangana

Apart from YSR Congress, ‘Rayala-Telangana’ — Congress party’s supposed ‘master-plan’ to end opposition from detractors of Telangana formation — found opponent from within their own party on Monday.

Zee Media Bureau

Hyderabad: Apart from the usual opposition from YSR Congress, ‘Rayala-Telangana’ — Congress party’s supposed ‘master-plan’ to end opposition from detractors of Telangana formation — found an opponent from within their own party on Monday. Senior Congress leader and Union minister Jaipal Reddy firmly opposed the move saying it will hurt the sentiments of people. "In principle, I am not comfortable with the proposal of merging two districts of Rayalaseema namely Ananthpur and Karnool in Telangana. My opinion is, it will hurt the sentiments of people of Telangana and Seemandhra particularly Rayalseema," Reddy said here. He said people of Telangana have always asked for the "Telangana" state comprising 10 original districts. "Telangana is divided from Rayalseema with natural border such as rivers. Why undo a natural border and merge two districts of Rayalseema with Telangana?" he asked, resonating the concerns of the farmers in Ananthpur and Karnool district. Jaipal’s concern was seconded by YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy who said the idea is "irrational and impractical." "We have no objection if all the 13 districts are merged with Telangana and call it a state but splitting Rayalseema into two is irrational and impractical. This shows the arrogance of Delhi which thinks that it can act according to its whims and fancies, and people will remain mute spectators," Jagan said, addressing a public meeting in Chittoor district during his ongoing state-wide tour in support of united Andhra Pradesh. Jagan invoked Telugu pride to oppose the plan which is said to be a tactful move of Congress leadership. "...But the Telugu pride supersedes Delhi`s unrealistic plans. Instead of splitting Kurnool and Anantapur from Rayalaseema and merging it with Telangana, people will be happy if all the districts of Seemandhra are merged with Telangana and give the same name to the state," he said. Jagan, who represents Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, said, "Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu are bent upon dividing the state without taking into consideration the Assembly, mood of the people and opinion of leaders." The Rayala-Telangana envisages clubbing Kurnool and Anantapur districts of Rayalaseema region with the proposed Telangana state. The proposal is mooted by some Congress leaders who believe that creation of Rayala Telangana would address some of the difficult issues, like sharing water resources, involved in the division of Andhra Pradesh. The youth from the backward Kurnool and Anantapur districts would have better opportunities because Hyderabad will be a part of Telangana, they suggested. However, TRS, BJP and other Telangana supporters have already expressed strong opposition to the idea of Rayala Telangana, saying that they favour only formation of Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital. With Agency Inputs