Trifurcation of AP is the only solution, says Deo

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Aug 24, 2013 :  In an interesting development Araku MP and union tribal affairs and panchayat raj minister, V Kishore Chandra Deo opined that only solution in the present charged situation prevailing in Andhra Pradesh after the Congress Working Committee (CWC)’s Telangana declaration is to trifurcate the state, grant a separate statehood for Rayalseema. 

In a letter to the AK Anthony committee and the Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi, written recently, Deo said trifurcation will assuage the feelings of all three regions and is the only permanent solution. He also batted for Vizag as the capital for Andhra region after the trifurcation.

“Andhra Pradesh at present has three distinctive regions which are geographically and culturally divided between the Telengana, Rayalseema and Andhra regions.  I am of the firm opinion that none of these three regions should be sub-divided.  It has to be ensured that the demands and tensions arising from such situations do not lead to escalated violence and bloodbaths.  Such situations can be avoided only by taking cognizance of the prevailing realities,” he said and added that only solution in the present situation is to trifurcate the state and grant a separate statehood for Rayalseema which will assuage the feelings of all three regions and is the only permanent solution.

He also observed that Telengana region has 17 Lok Sabha seats and of the remaining 25 seats, 17 Lok Sabha seats are located in Andhra region and 8 Lok Sabha seats in Rayalseema.   Such a division will bring the parity in the number of parliament seats that are there in the Telengana and Andhra region.  

Rayalseema with 8 Lok Sabha seats will be a larger state than Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Pondicherry and Goa, he added.

“As far as the Andhra region is concerned, Vishakhapatnam is the most ideal and suitable location for the capital.  Geopolitically and strategically located at the centre of our country’s east coast.  It is the second city of Andhra Pradesh and already has an inbuilt infrastructure apart from the international airport, the natural harbor and various other facilities which have been developed over the years.  Land is available around Vishakhapatnam and can be acquired for the purpose of building a new capital,” Deo added. 

 He further said that announcement on trifurcation of the state be made early.  He also took objections to the alleged behaviour of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC Chief, Botsa Satynarayana stating that it was unfair and mischievous that both were openly and publicly accusing the MPs and the union ministers from Seemandhra in order to cover up their selfish and ulterior motives.  

“Most unfortunate are allegations and the public perception that both these leaders are sponsoring and encouraging violent agitations with a feeling of injured guilt.  They are stoking the embers of discontent and engineering assaults on the elected representatives of people. The feeling among the people is, however, that one of them was keen that the State be divided as he hoped that such a decision will enable him to achieve his life’s ambition of becoming Chief Minister of a divided State.  While the other believed that his position would be secured till 2014 only by prolonging the Telengana impasse. People strongly feel that it is these selfish interests of both the heads of the government and the party in the State respectively, that have led us to this piquant situation,” the union minister said.