BJP to support struggle for separate Telangana

Hyderabad, Jun 2: The BJP will support the struggle for formation of separate Telangana state before the 2009 general elections as the Congress had promised statehood for the region in its manifesto during the 2004 elections.

Talking to mediapersons here, former Union Minister and Telangana Udyama Committee President Ch Vidyasagar Rao and State BJP Finance Committe Chairman Baddam Bal Reddy said the meeting, conducted by the BJP on the Telangana issue on May 30 in Nalgonda, was a tremendous success with thousands of party workers participating from all corners of the Telangana region and expressing their solidarity with the party leadership in its decision to fight for the statehood.

Mr Rao said intensive campaign would be launched for the formation of the Telangana state till June 15, 2007 and simultaneously, party workers would collect signatures of the people at village level.

He said the party workers would go to New Delhi and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, urging him to bifurcate the state.

A public meeting would be held under the auspices of the 'Telangana Udyama Committee' on June 15, 2007 in which several national leaders are likely to attend.

When asked about the BJP's strategy to achieve the Telangana state before 2009, Mr Rao said, ''we will force the Congress to bring the Bill.'' On delimitation of constituencies, Mr Baddam Bal Reddy alleged that while his party was happy that the constituencies in Ranga Reddy district were increased to 14 from 6, the Congress and the AIMIM had colluded to increase the number of the seats in the old city of Hyderabad from five to eight.

UNI