KCR says no need to merge TRS with Cong

HYDERABAD: Hardening his stance on the status of Hyderabad, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao on Friday spelt out his rather tough terms of surrender to the Congress.

For even to consider merging his party with the Congress, he made it clear the Centre must pass the Telangana Bill in both Houses of Parliament and leave Hyderabad untouched.

After a four-hour-long party State executive meeting at the Telangana Bhavan here, KCR told reporters, 'Merger or for that matter, any proposal the Congress may have, can wait. First, let the Congress pass the Telangana Bill in Parliament. That means, the process of formation of Telangana state should be over. Hyderabad should be left untouched and it should be Telangana's capital.'

Indicating his party line, he said, 'Ours is a 13-year-old party. Where is the need for merging it with the Congress? There is opposition in the party for merger. Anyway, this is not an appropriate time to discuss merger.' KCR was categorical on Hyderabad, saying law and order cannot be under Central control.

'The subject of law and order in Hyderabad should be left with the Telangana government. This is how it was when the Centre created 28 states. I do not understand why there is a talk that law and order in Hyderabad would be transferred to the Centre while creating the 29th State,' he said and warned the Centre of an all-out war if it plays with the status of Hyderabad or does anything to stall T process.

'It means you are humiliating Telangana people. It will lead to friction between the State and the Centre,' he cautioned. He also wondered why there are fears that a Telangana government cannot guarantee protection to people of Seemandhra in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana.

The TRS, he said, will soon be submitting a memorandum to the GoM on bifurcation of the State, giving a detailed account of its demand - a state comprising the 10 districts of Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital.

'We will also tell the GoM for how many years Hyderabad should remain the common capital for the two states,' he said and mocked at the proposal to transfer law and order in the city to the Centre.

'How can the Centre maintain law and order while the State pays salaries to the police? Under whose control will the services of policemen be? Who will pay pension to retired policemen and give promotions to those in service?'.

To a question, he reiterated that he would remain a watchdog of Telangana and expressed confidence that the TRS will sweep next polls.

Rao would tour Telangana districts soon, primarily to comfort farmers who lave lost everything in the heavy rains. But his tour is also expected to help him politically. The TRS will also organise a public meeting in November. The venue, place and date would be announced later.