Date:18/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/18/stories/2005041807530400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

YSR chants SRC mantra again

Staff Reporter

CHALGAL (KARIMNAGAR DT): The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, reiterated that the Congress was committed to the constitution of the second states reorganisation committee (SRC) for the formation of Telangana.

Talking to newsmen while participating in the Rajiv Nagara Baata programme in the Jagtial revenue division here on Sunday, the Chief Minister said that "the Congress stand was very clear on Telangana that we would constitute the second SRC and the Congress working committee (CWC) had also ratified the issue.'' Reacting to a query on the contradictory statements on Telangana by the TRS and Congress parties, he clarified that "they (TRS) have their own line and the Congress party has its own stand on Telangana.''

`Consensus must'

He said that the TRS had contested elections on the plank of statehood for Telangana. "We had been saying that the Telangana region was deprived of development during the TDP regime,'' he said, adding that Telangana was possible only if there was consensus among the Congress, TRS and the Left parties in the State. Asked whether the Government was planning to reimpose a ban on various naxalites groups, Dr Rajasekhara Reddy said that currently they had not decided about the ban issue. If the situation arises, they would definitely think about reimposing the ban on naxalite groups, he said.

Water scheme for temple

The Chief Minister also announced Rs 6 crore drinking water scheme for the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Vemulawada. Water would be lifted from LMD reservoir in Karimnagar to Vemulawada through a pipepline. The Devasthanam would contribute Rs 3 crores and the State Government Rs 3 crores for the completion of the project.

Md. Fariduddin, V Lakshmikantha Rao, Ministers, the ZP chairman, K.V Rajeshwara Rao, the Government Whip, D Sridhar, the legislators, T Jeevan Reddy, J Ratnakar Rao, K Ramulu, and the SAAP chairman, Makhan Singh Raj Thakur, and others were present.