TRS President Chandrasekhar Rao for Hyderabad as Telangana capital, warns of stir

Hyderabad: TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday threatened to launch second round of agitation if any restrictions are to be imposed by Centre on Hyderabad while addressing proposed division of Andhra Pradesh.

KCR's statement came against the backdrop of reports that proposals like making Hyderabad a UT or a separate administrative region are being discussed as possible solutions. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), which endorsed the separate Telangana demand on July 30, proposed that Hyderabad should be the common capital of Telangana and (new) Andhra Pradesh for 10 years.

Rao said he supported Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana state comprising present ten districts of Andhra Pradesh and not as the joint capital as proposed. Addressing a pro-Telangana public meeting in Hyderabad, the TRS chief expressed confidence that creation of Telangana state would happen soon as several parties have supported the cause at national level. He thanked BJP and its president Rajnath Singh for consistently supporting the Telangana cause.

"Formation of Telangana will be a reality soon as the alternative to UPA, the NDA is supporting formation of the separate state," he said. Reacting to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy's remarks that various problems may crop up post division, the TRS president alleged that the former has always ignored concerns of Telangana region.

Accusing the Chief Minister of trying to scuttle the formation of separate Telangana, KCR claimed that Reddy was on his way out. "He would not remain in his post beyond October six as per my information," KCR said. The TRS President also demanded that a massive package should be given to Telangana for its development in various spheres.

BJP leader in the State Assembly E Lakshminarayana told the meeting that his party had been consistently supporting the separate Telangana demand. CPI floor leader G Mallesh appealed to those agitating for united Andhra Pradesh not to oppose the formation of separate Telangana. He said people of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions need not have any feeling of insecurity with regard to the sharing of river water, jobs in Hyderabad among others. The speakers at the meeting demanded that the bill for formation of Telangana state be passed in Parliament soon.