BJP wants Telangana bill moved in budget session

Alleging that Congress has been "deceiving" people on separate Telangana issue, Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said the United Progressive Alliance government should move a bill on the formation of the state in the coming budget session of Parliament.

Addressing a public meeting organised at the Nizam College Grounds in Hyderabad on the conclusion of 24-day 'Telangana Poru Yatra' (struggle for Telangana), former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress party should have "political will" to bring the bill for separate Telangana.

Naidu alleged that Congress has been trying to deceive the people of the region by not keeping its promise, which it gave to people in 2004 elections, while having an alliance with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

Stating that his party was supporting the Telangana movement right from the beginning, Naidu blamed other political parties, including Congress and Telugu Desam Party, for "failing" to make their stand clear on the issue so far.

"If the UPA government tables a bill, the BJP would definitely support it, as his party has always been in favour of smaller states," he said. 

Naidu said the 'Telangana Poru Yatra', undertaken by state party president G Kishan Reddy in Telangana districts, was successful and support of the people was tremendous.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who was the chief guest of the meeting, extended full support to the Telangana movement.

Blaming the Centre for "ignoring people's aspirations", Singh asserted that smaller states would enable speedy development and providing good governance.

Citing the development of Chhattisgarh state, Raman Singh claimed that his state has 11.4 per cent GDP growth rate which is higher than the national GDP rate.

Addressing the meeting, Kishan Reddy said people were looking forward to BJP for Telangana and they have realised that this is the only party, which can achieve separate statehood.

Reddy warned Congress that the people would teach it a lesson in the 2014 elections if it failed to meet the demand of people of the region.

Former BJP national president Bangaru Laxman, former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Telangana JAC leaders Kodandaram and Swami Goud were also present on the occasion.

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