New Delhi: The fight for Hyderabad escalated on Wednesday with Union ministers from Seemandhra demanding Union Territory status for the capital city and one leader from Telangana opposing any such move.
"We have sought Union Territory status for Hyderabad till a new capital is developed for Seemandhra," Minister of State for Finance J D Seelam, who was part of a delegation from Seemandhra that met the GoM on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, told PTI.
The delegation met GoM members including Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. Seelam said they were against any administrative set-up under Governor's Council to run the affairs in Hyderabad, after the division of the state.
"It is learnt that a Union Cabinet minister has proposed for Governor's Council for administrating Hyderabad. We have opposed it, as such things have failed in the past," he claimed.
Seelam also pointed out that Union Territory status for Hyderabad is need of the hour to ensure the safety and security of people living in the city. Later, the delegation also called on AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs Digvijay Singh and pressed for the same demand.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highway Sarve Satyanarayana, who is from Telangana, met Defence Minister A K Antony to oppose altering the status of Hyderabad.
"They (Seemandhra leaders) are trying to find out some lame excuse on how to stop it (creation of Telangana). Telangana people will not accept anything without the 10 districts and Hyderabad as the capital city," he said.
He wondered how Seemandhra would be benefited by making Hyderabad a Union Territory. "Only few individuals, whose business and properties are in Hyderabad, were demanding for it. They are misleading people by asking them to come on streets to fight for United Andhra," he alleged.
