BJP for changes in T Bill

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Jan 10, 2014:  Desperately trying to gain ground in Seemandhra, due to its sagging image in the region with the stance taken on the state bifurcation and the Samaikyandhra stir, BJP leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have asked the party central leadership to tell the Centre to make certain amendments to the AP Reorganisation Bill when it is introduced in parliament.

The BJP’s Seemandhra leaders also want their party leadership to insist on voting on the amendments to the Bill proposed by them to gain some points in the region. Seemandhra leaders would be again visiting Delhi to meet the party’s key leaders on Jan 18 and 19 during BJP national executive meeting.

The Seemandhra BJP leaders had already submitted a note to their party national leaders on the changes that are to be made to the AP Reorganisation Bill. They have pointed at least 10 changes that are to be made related to revenue sharing, common capital, constitutional amendment, solid and time bound assurances on various infrastructure projects in Seemandhra and most importantly, issues related to construction of Polavaram project like inclusion of Badhrachalam division into Seemandhra, to change Polavaram project into multipurpose project than a mere irrigation project as mentioned in Bill.

A delegation of BJP leaders from Seemandhra led by the party national disciplinary committee member and former MLA, Kambhampati Haribabu met BJP national president Rajnath Singh during his  recent visit to Hyderabad and reiterated their demand that the central leadership should ensure that the concerns of Seemandhra be raised in the parliament when the Bill is tabled.

It was reliably learnt that this time the Seemandhra leaders have also asked the central leadership to introduce the amendments to be made to the Bill for the benefit of Seemandhra and also go for voting on them. The strategy is that the party can claim in the ground that they have fought for the benefit of the region and also expose the stance of ruling Congress MPs and other parties involved in the issue.

“The Bill has nothing to offer for Seemandhra region. Union government has meted out a raw deal to the region. They have done it unilaterally with severe injustice to the region. They should make changes to the Bill. No doubt BJP is for the division at the same time Seemandhra interests has to be protected. If BJP government comes to power at Centre in 2014 under the leadership of Narendra Modi we will ensure that Seemandhra gets its right share and fair deal,” Kambhampati Haribabu told this correspondent.

The BJP has already begun its mission of showing Congress in poor light in the region over the raw deal to Seemadhra in the Bill. On Friday BJP cadres in large scale staged protests across the 11 districts of Seemandhra against the AP reorganization Bill. In Vizag party cadres in large numbers  gathered at the Gandhi statue opposite to GVMC office and staged protest raising slogans against Congress led UPA.