BSY to lead all-party team to PM on Special Status

Bangalore, Oct 28: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will lead an all-party legislators delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appeal for granting special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka belt, the most backward region in the state.

Addressing newspersons here on Tuesday, Oct 28, Mr Yeddyurappa appealed to the leaders of the opposition parties to cooperate with the government's efforts to join the delegation to meet Dr Singh on the issue.

People of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, including Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Bidar and Bellary remained backward due to various reasons, he said and added that granting the long pending demand for special status under Article 371 of the Constitution would supplement the measures taken by the state government to remove economic imbalance in the area.

Mr Yeddyurappa said he intended to take the legislators of all parties including the BJP, Congress, JD(S) and JD(U) in a special chartered flight to New Delhi on November 4, to convince the Prime Minister on the issue.

The delegation would also press him to accord Classical status to Kannada language, he said adding ''I would be grateful if all the opposition leaders appreciate the government's move and join the delegation to call on Dr Singh.

Replying to questions, the Chief Minister said the government would come out with a Transfer Policy from next year.

On November 1, Kannada Rajyothsava, the formation day of the state, 75 to 80 personalities who had contributed in various fields would be honoured by presenting them with 'Rajyothsava award,'' he said.

UNI