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Hyderabad: The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh made a U-turn on Thursday by extending its support to the demand for a separate statehood to the Telangana region. Its latest decision has now paved the way for an electoral alliance with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).
The TDP politburo, which met here in the morning, unanimously passed a resolution supporting separate statehood for Telangana. Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu announced the decision at a news conference.
The TDP has all along been a strong advocate of a united Andhra Pradesh and vociferously opposed the demand for bifurcation of the state. It fought the 2004 elections on the plank of united Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu said the party would convey its decision to the Pranab Mukherjee committee, formed by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to look into the demand for separate Telangana. The party had earlier opposed the demand before the committee.
He said the party would do everything "legally possible" to achieve a separate Telangana and if voted to power it would support a resolution in the state assembly. "The TDP is committed for the welfare of Telugu people and it also respects the sentiments and self-respect of people of Telangana," he said.
Naidu denied that his party changed the stand in view of the coming elections and pointed out that the process of reconsidering the stand began after 2004 elections.
"We have taken a decision after looking into all aspects and a thorough debate," he said and hoped that party leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions would appreciate the party's stand.
Under pressure from its own leaders from Telangana, the TDP had formed a core committee earlier this year to look into the issue. The core committee submitted its report to Naidu last week.
Major Political parties in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday welcomed the Telugu Desam Party's latest stand to support the demand for separate Telangana state.
""It's a welcome decision, but it should have been taken three years ago," Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Dharmapuri Srinivas said after the TDP announced it was in favour of a separate Telangana state.
Genesis of separation
The demand for a separate Telangana is nearly six decades old. The region comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad was part of erstwhile Hyderabad state. The region was merged with Andhra in 1956 to form Andhra Pradesh for Telugu-speaking people. The people of Telangana were opposed to this merger but they were assured that their interests would be protected.
Telangana witnessed a violent movement for separate state in 1969. More than 300 people were killed in police firing.
K. Chandrasekhara Rao, who quit Telugu Desam Party in 2000 to float the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), revived the Telangana movement.
Under pressure from its own leaders from Telangana, the TDP had formed a core committee earlier this year to look into the issue. The core committee submitted its report to Naidu last week.
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