Seemandhra leaders bypass Kishan Reddy to meet Rajnath

HYDERABAD: The state division issue, which has vertically split major political parties in the state, has not left the BJP untouched either.

Though the state leadership claims that there are no differences between the party leaders of Telangana and Seemandhra regions, the ground reality is different.

For instance, the BJP Seemandhra Udyama Committee is supposed to submit its report on bifurcation issues to party state president G Kishan Reddy, who in turn, will present it to party president Rajnath Singh in Delhi.

However, the committee sent a copy of its report to Kishan Reddy and its members went to Delhi and submitted the report to Rajnath Singh directly on October 30.

Kishan Reddy, who on many occasions claimed that both Seemandhra and Telangana Udyama Committees would submit their reports to him, was upset that party Seemandhra leaders choose to go directly to the party central leadership.

Meanwhile, following the Seemandhra precedent, the Telangana Udyama Committee too has decided to submit its report directly to the party president on November 2. The committee members under the leadership of its chairman T Rajeshwar Rao are leaving for Delhi on November 1.

When contacted, former MLA and key member of the BJP Seemandhra Udyama Committee Hari Babu, who is in Delhi, denied any differences in the state party on bifurcation. Leaders from both sides are fighting for the cause of their respective regions and there is no harm in it, he said.

'We are not against state bifurcation, but we want the Centre to address the concerns of Seemandhra. We want the government to do justice to the people of the region,' he remarked.

The BJP national leadership too wants justice for Seemandhra and the committee has been formed to look into contentious issues, he said.

On the other hand, the Telangana Udyama Committee members are not happy with the Seemandhra leaders of the party and have also complained to the BJP leadership. They feel Seemandhra leaders raising issues over bifurcation is sending wrong signals to the people of Telangana that the party is deviating from its stand.

BJP leaders from Telangana are even questioning the intentions of party senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu, who is raising Seemandhra concerns at the national level and allegedly trying to create hurdles. According to sources, the Telangana leaders have raised this issue during party state incharge Satish's visit to Hyderabad.