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Syed Amin Jafri in Visakhapatnam
"No party except the Telugu Desam Party will be able to develop the Telangana region because we have an ally in power at the Centre and all international funding agencies are favourably disposed towards the state ruled by the Telugu Desam," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu asserted in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
On the second day of the three-day Mahanadu (biennial convention) of the ruling party, the Telangana issue continued to dominate proceedings.
In his concluding remarks on a resolution on "backward area development" adopted at the meeting, Naidu said his government would come out with a time-bound package for the region's development.
The TDP chief said his party would not shy away from an extensive debate on what various parties have done for Telangana. "We are sure the people will appreciate the efforts made by my government for the development of Telangana," he said.
Chandrababu Naidu, who had hitherto hesitated to discuss the issue, reiterated his party's commitment to a "samaikya" (integrated) Andhra Pradesh and ruled out the demand for a separate state.
He said the demand had been raked up by some disgruntled elements as well as the Congress and smacked of rank political opportunism. The people of the state would teach them a lesson, he said.
Naidu spoke of the need to formulate a time-bound programme for the development of backward regions and for bringing them on par with the developed areas of the state. "We will not rest till Telangana is brought on par," he asserted.
Attributing the backwardness of the region to natural, historical and geographical factors, he lambasted the Congress for doing nothing for the region and other backward areas despite enjoying power for decades in the state as well as at the Centre. Instead, they were unashamedly trying to provoke regional sentiments for political ends.
"Congress leaders do not have character, consistency or a uniform policy at the national and state levels. They speak in different voices at different places. Now, after the Telangana demand, their leaders from Rayalaseema want a separate state," he pointed out, but predicted that "the time is not far when the Congress will have to pay a very heavy price for raking up regional feelings".
He also lashed out at Congress leaders from Telangana for trying to stop work on the Pulichintala irrigation project, which will benefit coastal Andhra Pradesh. "The Congress leaders from Telangana are stopping the work while their counterparts from coastal Andhra are protesting against their attempts. Now, the Rayalaseema leaders too have joined the fray," he remarked.
"Thanks to their indifferent attitude, successive Congress governments in the state did not spend money sanctioned for various development schemes in Telangana and other backward areas. Those who were responsible for such neglect are now talking about Telangana," he pointed out.
While directing his ire at the Congress, Chandrababu Naidu made no reference to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi or its founder, former deputy speaker K Chandrasekhar Rao.
He claimed that the TDP alone had worked sincerely and effectively for the development of all backward regions, particularly Telangana. There was unprecedented development in these areas under the six years of his rule, he claimed.
Naidu said his government had spent more money in these six years than in the preceding 39 years. "Both the central government and international funding agencies are favourably disposed towards the state and we should take full advantage of this and mobilise more funds for the development of the region," he said.
The TDP government, he said, had spent huge amounts in key socio-economic areas such as education, health, irrigation, power and roads in the backward regions, yielding good results. Thus, Telangana's bright future lies within an integrated state, he asserted, as abundant resources available in one region can be used for the development of other regions.
"The coastal Andhra region has a long coastline and ports. A special economic zone is being established there. Abundant reserves of natural gas are also available. Estimates indicate that the natural gas reserves in the Krishna-Godavari basin are much more than in Bombay High. This gas can be used for the industrial development of Hyderabad and Telangana regions," he pointed out.
The chief minister also elaborated on measures taken by his government to develop Hyderabad as a major international destination for investments, which would help the surrounding areas of Telangana to develop.
Naidu was later unanimously re-elected president of the TDP for a two-year term.
TDP electoral officer Professor C Lakshmanna said 37 sets of nominations were filed on Naidu's behalf by ministerial colleagues, party legislators, MPs and other office-bearers of the TDP.
In his acceptance speech, the chief minister promised to uphold Telugu atma gouravam [self-respect]. "I will work tirelessly for the party and make it a major force in Indian politics," he declared.
Naidu was first elected TDP president in August 1995 after he overthrew the party's founder-patriarch and his father-in-law, the late N T Rama Rao.
The party president nominates the other members of the TDP executive and politburo and names the office-bearers of the party's frontal organisations and cells.
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