Congress MP expresses confidence that AP will remain 'united'

Congress MP and former union minister A Saipratap today expressed "confidence" that Andhra Pradesh would remain "united" as a state as the bifurcation bill was moved at a wrong time.

"The state is lucky because the bifurcation bill was moved at the "wrong time" (just ahead of Lok Sabha elections) which would make bifurcation difficult to be completed," he said here.

After chairing a meeting of a district level vigilance and monitoring committee, Saipratap, who is an MP from Rajampeta, said that it is unprecedented that ruling party MPs had moved a no-confidence motion against their own government in the Lok Sabha.

He said that the Rayalaseema region, which has allegedly been denied of its legitimate share of water so far, should be provided with water.

Once development of this region is ensured, the state's bifurcation could be considered, he said. 

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SARCASTIC JC TAKES A DIG AT SONIA ON TELANGANA

Former minister and prominent leader of Congress party from Rayalaseema JC Diwakar Reddy, who has been letting the rumour mills work overtime on his possible shift of loyalties to TDP, was so sarcastic in defying the ‘unjust’ decision of his party president Sonia Gandhi on the State bifurcation.

While speaking to the press persons on his arrival to Hyderabad on Saturday, JC categorically said there is nothing to expect anything logical and just in the ongoing process of carving out Telangana.
“Everything related to this State division is left to Sonia Gandhi. Every move is made on her behest and there is nothing to expect any kind of legalities and fairness. No constitutional body including GoM, or non-constitutional force has any say on it,” he told reporters in a voice of despair.
“Amma is everything and her decision on whatever issue is sacrosanct and irrevocable too,” he said.
He found no point in staying in Hyderabad, though it is made common capital. According to him, Seemandhras would be at receiving end in common capital. He referred to the assertions of his party’s veteran leader from Telangana and MLC KR Amos, who said the Seemandhras should be the tenants and should pay rentals and taxes for using offices in the common capital, Hyderabad.
“Why to stay back here for 10 years while paying taxes to Telangana government? Seemandhras should shift to the new capital after getting it ready by three months,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said that he would meet the Congress president over the demand of Rayala Telangana, if she gives appointment.Sarcastic JC takes a dig at Sonia on Telangana.

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Telangana Bill will not pass legal scrutiny: Ashok Babu

AP NGOs' Association president P. Ashok Babu addressing Save Andhra Pradesh meeting at Vuyyuru in Krishna district on Sunday.APNGOs’ Association president P. Ashok Babu has said bifurcation has too many hurdles to become a reality and if the Central government still succeeds in taking it forward people should teach Congress and the separatist forces who plunged the State into a crisis, a befitting lesson.

He expressed confidence that the Draft Bill on Telangana will not pass legal scrutiny as the President is likely to refer it to a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court. Besides, the BJP has promised to not vote for division unless justice is done to Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

There are an umpteen number of rules which have to be followed and various options were explored for keeping the State united, Mr. Ashok Babu said and exhorted the people to be alert to possibility of the State being divided after the 2014 elections when a new political dispensation could have the requisite strength to carve out Telangana.

Addressing a ‘Save Andhra Pradesh’ meeting here on Sunday, Mr. Ashok Babu said a few people have studied the Srikrishna Committee report which clearly laid down the ideal course of action. Justice Srikrishna suggested that if bifurcation becomes inevitable, it should be done with consensus lest a civil war should break out and a whole lot of complications should arise.

The danger of people fighting for river waters looms large as most of the irrigation projects are situated on borders of Telangana and Seemandhra. Sharing of waters from these inter-State projects would be mired in legal disputes in addition to the ones in which Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra are involved for many decades.

Mr. Ashok Babu said the Group of Ministers had no clarity on 11 items being examined by it while Sushil Kumar Shinde and Digvijay Singh made contradictory statements on whether the Draft Bill on Telangana should obtain the Presidential assent before being tabled in Parliament and Andhra Pradesh Assembly or the other way around.

The APNGOs Association and others fighting for unified State, were ashamed by the conduct of Union Ministers and MPs from Seemandhra whose subservience to their high command rendered bifurcation an easy job. If they have not surrendered themselves for personal packages, they should immediately resign their posts and join the protests, Mr. Ashok Babu added.

Former Minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, APNGOs’ Association general secretary Chandrasekhara Reddy, Chalasani Srinivas, Bopparaju Venkateswara Rao, Naraharisetti Srihari, Y.V. Rao and others participated.

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