Date:02/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/02/stories/2007030208970400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

2009 belongs to us, thunders KCR

Special Correspondent

Says no force can stop Telangana formation

TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao with A. Narendra, MP, at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday

HYDERABAD: Setting a fresh date for realisation of separate Telangana, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said 2009 will belong to people of the region as they will `get' their new State.

"The 2009 general election will throw up 100 to 110 MLAs and 15 to 16 MPs of the TRS. Nothing can stop creation of Telangana State in those circumstances," Mr. Rao remarked at a meeting of party workers at the party office here on Thursday.

BJP leader joins TRS

The meeting marked the joining in the party of S. Shanmukha, State Executive member of the BJP and his followers from Nalgonda district.

Mr. Rao said history would be written at Telangana Bhavan, party TRS headquarters, in two years when the region would get its Statehood. The destiny of the new State would be scripted from the portals of the office.

He said the Congress was the only party to set up `hurdles' for separate Telangana.

All other parties, including the Left, of late, had veered round to the view of separate State. Telangana supporters should make tactical moves to counter the opposition to the demand, he noted.

Mr. Rao dwelt at length the injustice to Telangana from Brahmananda Reddy to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy regimes.

The ayacut with irrigation facility shrunk from 20 lakh to 11 lakh acres during the period.

"Is that development of the region?" he asked and said successive Governments tried to deny water, power and jobs to Telangana people.