Hyderabad : APCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana on Friday made a fervent appeal to all political parties, people’s organizations and students to maintain restraint on the decision of the Congress high command to bifurcate the State.

Speaking to the media in Gandhi Bhavan here, Botcha Satyanarayana said people of one region were happy and those of another region were sad on the decision of the Congress and the UPA. Reminding that TDP and YSRCP were blaming the Congress on the division of the State, he said it was unfortunate that all the political parties were trying to gain political mileage from the sensitive issue. Before the announcement of separate Telangana State, the Centre conducted all-party meetings for four times and sought their stand in the Telangana issue. Besides, Pranab Mukharji Committee in 2010 and Rosaiah Committee in 2009 also recorded the stand of all political parties in the State on formation of separate Telangana State. Except Congress, MIM and the CPI(M), all parties backed the statehood to Telangana and came forward to support Statehood for Telangana region, he added.

He felt that political parties should represent the sentiments and opinions of the people in a democracy. Actually, while the Congress got 39 percent of total votes polled in 2009 elections, combined Opposition got 61 percent of votes. Keeping this in view, the Congress took a positive decision on Telangana Statehood. Successive Chief Ministers assured to develop backward areas after formation of State in 1956. He said even after the country achieved freedom 55 years ago, some districts in Uttara Andhra (North Andhra)  Rayalaseema and Anantapur remain undeveloped

Referring to destruction of Congress national leaders in the Seemandhra region, Botcha appealed to the agitators to think how far it was just to damage statues of Jawaharlal Nehru, who spoke in support of united Andhra Pradesh when Mulki issue figured in Parliament and Indira Gandhi, who strongly supported united Andhra Pradesh.

He also asked whether it was not true that on the direction of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, some 40 Congress MLAs went to New Delhi and urged the Congress high command to form a separate Telangana State. The TDP also passed resolutions at its Mahanadu supporting formation of separate Telangana State. The YSRCP also supported Telangana Statehood during its plenary meeting, he pointed out.

Though he belonged to one region, he said he brought the sentiment of Seemandhra people to the notice of the Congress high command. Some 50 to 70 percent of private jobs were being generated in Hyderabad. He said Krishna delta was still facing irrigation problem. IIT, Central University, Business Schools should also be set up in Seemandhra region, he added.

The PCC Chief said the TDP and YSRCP have not given any letter to the Centre demanding united Andhra Pradesh. The Opposition parties were blaming the Congress for division of the State. He urged the Opposition parties not to deceive the people of Seemandhra in the matter. Asking the people to show restraint, he appealed to the agitators not to damage the public properties in the name of agitation.

Botcha said ministers, MPs and MLAs did not take a U turn from the beginning and opposed division of the State. TDP president Chandrababu naidu was demanding Rs 5 lakh crores package to develop capital for Seemandhra region. Contrary to this, Chandrababu was also encouraging the Seemandhra TDP MLAs to resign to their posts, he alleged.