Former minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) and former MLA Gadikota Srikanth Reddy voiced strong opposition to the decision made during the meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Telugu states on Saturday evening in Hyderabad. They alleged that forming a committee of officers is merely a time-wasting tactic that will hinder Andhra Pradesh’s progress on multiple fronts.
The leaders stated that both states are already aware of the disputes, unresolved issues, and assets that need to be distributed. They questioned the necessity of forming a new committee, arguing that it would only delay the resolution of these issues further.
The Union government had previously established the Sheila Bedi Committee to oversee the implementation of the Reorganisation Act. This committee made several recommendations regarding the property dispute during the undivided state, which were discussed over the last decade. However, some recommendations were not accepted by the Telangana government and were not implemented.
By forming a new committee, they believe the matter is being reset to square one.
During a previous meeting of Southern States’ Chief Ministers held in Tirupati, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy emphasised to the Union Home Minister the importance of resolving the outstanding issues. The YSRCP leaders recalled his assurance that the problems would be addressed within a stipulated timeframe. Following this, discussions on bifurcation issues had gained momentum under the Union Home Ministry’s supervision. The leaders now feel that setting up another committee without focusing on the existing issues will only regress the process.
Moreover, this new committee is being formed independent of the Union government, which raises concerns since the Reorganisation Act was enacted by Parliament and is to be implemented by the Union government.
The previous YSRCP government exerted significant pressure on the Union government regarding the Rs 7,000 crore power dues owed to Andhra Pradesh. Despite instructions for payment, the case was later moved to court. The leaders criticized the lack of focus on resolving this issue in the current meeting.
They also highlighted the injustice Andhra Pradesh faces, particularly regarding water project management. The Telangana state’s release of water from the left canal of Srisailam for power generation, while the Rayalaseema region struggles, is deemed unfair. The leaders were disappointed that no immediate resolution was reached in the meeting.
The YSRCP government had previously taken over the Nagarjuna Sagar right canal and spillway in AP territory. Despite assurances from the Union Home Department, there was no record of a strong focus on this issue in the recent meeting, raising questions about the state government’s sincerity in resolving these problems.
Furthermore, during the meeting, media reports indicated that Telangana demanded a share in Andhra Pradesh ports and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams properties. There was also speculation about Andhra Pradesh considering the merger of some villages in seven mandals. This has caused widespread concern among the people of Andhra Pradesh.
