'Rayalaseema should join Telangana state'

A meeting of political leaders from Rayalaseema region, held to discuss the stand to be taken before the Srikrishna Commission on the issue of bifurcation of the state, has sent ripples among the supporters of united Andhra Pradesh.

Senior Congress leader and former minister J C Diwakar Reddy has shocked the leaders from coastal Andhra region by suggesting that Rayalaseema should be a part of Telangana rather than Andhra.

"If bifurcation of the state becomes inevitable, Rayala Seema should opt to remain with Telangana," he told the meeting. He warned that if Rayalaseema joins Andhra region, it will face serious water problems, while joining Telangana will be beneficial for the region. He suggested that leaders from Rayala Seema should tell the Srikrishna Commission that their region should remain with Telangana, in case of bifurcation of the state.

"Andhra region is not going to lose anything if the state is bifurcated, but Rayalaseema will not get a single drop of water without the permission of Telangana region. There will be no gains for Rayalaseema if it goes with Andhra region," said Diwakar Reddy.

He also pointed out that Rayala Seema did not have adequate resources of its own to survive.

Reddy's stance has come as a shock to many as he was the first Congress Member of Legislative Assembly to tender his resignation to protest Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement on December 9, that the Centre had decided to start the process of formation of a separate Telangana state.

However, other leaders wanted Rayalaseema be a part of united Andhra. Congress Member of Legislative Council Y S Vivekananda Reddy said that he will strongly raise his voice in support of a united Andhra Pradesh before the Srikrishna Committee.

Praja Rajyam MLA Shobha Nagi Reddy also stated that Rayalaseema's interest lies in the unity of the state and it was wrong to say that the region will be deprived of water if Telangana became a separate state.

"We have a legal and constitutional right over river water," she said.

Congress MLA TG Venkatesh said that Rayalaseema should demand a special package from the central government for the losses it will suffer in case the state is divided.

The issue of the division of irrigation water has been a major reason behind the opposition of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema's politicians to the demand for Telangana. Krishna and Godavari rivers, the main source of irrigation for both regions,  pass through Telangana before entering other regions.