Visakhapatnam: After tribal welfare minister Balaraju, now it is union minister for commerce and industry D. Purandeswari, who is opposing the Samikyandhra movement, indirectly though.
On Friday, minister Balaraju stayed away from the chief minister’s Rachchabanda programme held in Visakhapatnam district.
On Saturday, union minister Purandeswari, addressing a public meeting at Indira Nagar Colony in Visakhapatnam south constituency, as part of Rachchabanda programme, appealed to the people to decide whether they want Samaikyandhra or more rights and allocations, as efforts are on for preparing the bill on bifurcation.
Purandeswari said it was not fair on the part of a few political parties to blame the Congress for bifurcation of the state even while majority of them had given their consent on bifurcation, in writing.
“This is not correct. They had given letters of consent, regarding bifurcation, and now they are taking up yatras urging the Centre to keep the state united,” she said.
The union government is busy with the process of dividing the state. “At this stage, is it better to fight for Samikyandhra or seek more funds and other rights,” she asked the public.
Elected representatives will abide by people’s decision and act accordingly, she said. The minister’s remarks rattled the Samaikyandhra activists, leading to pandemonium at the meeting.
UT?status for Hyderabad
Visakhapatnam: Union Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Panabaka Lakshmi said ministers from Seemandhra regions would put forward their demand for Samaikyandhra before the GoM on November 18.
She was speaking to mediapersons at the airport on Saturday. The minister said they would fight for upgrading Hyderabad as a union territory for 10 years.
Refuting allegations that union ministers had not raised their voice in support of Samikyandhra, she said they had been able to impress upon the CWC to keep Hyderabad as joint capital for 10 years.
