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The decision of the Congress party and the UPA to carve out a separate state of Telangana, with a new capital to be built for the residual Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad to be the joint capital for 10 years, has pushed the people of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema into a piquant position.
They have to relinquish their claims on Hyderabad after the stipulated period and it is not yet known where, when and how the new capital will come up.
Several speakers expressed their concern and anguish over the uncertainty and plight of the public in the two regions at a round table conference organised by the Vizag Journalists' Forum on the issue here on Thursday.
They rued the fact that decentralised development had not taken place in Andhra Pradesh during the past 57 years and many of the speakers wanted the Union Government to declare Hyderabad as Union Territory and offer separate packages for both Telangana and the rest of Andhra Pradesh to build new capitals. That alone would solve the tricky problem, they felt.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University K.V Ramana said that the people of coastal AP as well as Rayalaseema should reconcile themselves to the reality that Andhra Pradesh would be divided.
“In fact, due to various historical, social and economic factors, there has never been any real integration between Telangana and the rest of AP and therefore we should consider the issue in a calm frame of mind and do what is best for the people of the three regions. Bifurcation is also not easy. It has thrown up several problems such as the capital issue, the river water issue and several others. But there are solutions to them, if there is the requisite political will and public support,’’ he said.
His view was, however, contested by several others, including Narasinga Rao, CPM leader. “Prof. Ramana’s view is untenable. Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 on the basis of language and linguistic states are still relevant. My party’s stand has always been that we should not mess with linguistic states. The Congress has opened the pandora’s box. The agitations for Gorkhaland, Vidarbha and several other new states have gathered new impetus after the announcement,’’ he said.
G. Sambasiva Rao, representing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said Visakhapatnam should be made the new capital of residual Andhra Pradesh, as it has the necessary infrastructure.
M. Nagendra of BJP, said bifurcation was inevitable, even though the manner in which it was being done by the Congress did not inspire confidence. He expressed the view that there were enough natural resources in the rest of AP to make it a strong and economically vibrant state such as Gujarat.
Easwara Rao, leader of AP NGOs’ Association, said it was a disastrous decision and the NGOs (non-gazetted government employees) in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were planning a strike from September 5.
B. Satyanarayana Murthy of the Telugu Desam party, confessed that all political parties in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema had failed the public and people had lost faith in politicians of all hues. “We have failed, failed miserably, and are in no position to show any direction to the public. It is the most tragic, traumatic moment of my political career,” he said.
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