The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP to `convince' TDP on Telangana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP to `convince' TDP on Telangana

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 11. The State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, N. Indrasena Reddy, today said the BJP would talk to the Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on the issue of a separate Telangana and try to "convince" him about the need for smaller States.

He was responding to questions at a `Meet the Press' organised by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists. Answering questions on the BJP not spelling out its stand on the Telangana issue in its election manifesto, he said the BJP had always believed in smaller States for administrative convenience.

"During the tenure of the BJP-led NDA coalition, the way has been paved for the formation of three smaller States - Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand. This should explain our stand on the issue. If it has not happened in A.P., it is only because the TDP Government did not feel the need for smaller States. We will try to convince the TDP,'' he said.

The announcement came towards the end of the `Meet the Press' session that lasted about an hour and a half. Mr. Reddy fielded the questions on Telangana with the line — that the BJP was always for smaller States and that a separate Telangana would become a reality only if political parties which enjoyed the trust of the people willed it. "If our allies agree to it we will go ahead, otherwise we will keep the issue aside,'' he said. Asked if the BJP would support the demand for a separate Telangana if the Congress came to power after the elections, he said, "The question does not arise, because the Congress will never come to power. Only people who know they cannot come to power can make impossible promises," he said.

Mr. Indrasena Reddy said that `once we come back to power this time, we will get a legislation enacted in Parliament, barring foreigners from occupying high positions in the country.''

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