Hyderabad: Former MLA D.K. Bharath Simha Reddy from Gadwal, which borders Karnataka, on Monday started a campaign seeking special status under Article 371J of the Constitution on the lines of the special package announced by the Centre for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region sometime ago.
He told mediapersons at the Congress Legislature Party office that at the time of reorganisation of states in 1956, many areas in Karnataka were merged into the then AP with a promise of better development. Many areas in erstwhile Hyderabad state like Raichur, Gulbarga, Bidar and Bijapur were included in Karnataka.
Mr Reddy said that in 2012, the UPA government on the request of the Karnataka Assembly inserted Article 371J in the Constitution giving special status features and special reservations in employment for the people residing in those districts. “We want a similar package for the Telangana state Assembly constituencies bordering Karnataka to get better development and employment,” Mr Reddy said.
The Assembly constituencies of Gadwal, Alampur, Kodangal, Tandur, Vikarabad, Zaheerabad, Narayankhed, Narayanapet and Makthal are backward in all respects and need constitutionally backed special status, he said.
The former MLA said he started was peaking to the MPs and MLAs of these constituencies to enlist their support. Senior Congress MLA and former minister D.K. Aruna, wife of Mr Bharath Simha Reddy said “it is a genuine demand”.
