TRS chief meets Andhra governor over Telangana row

The row kicked up by the ministers of Andhra and Rayala Seema region, who called agitators demanding a separate Telangana state 'anti-national and seditious', intensified on Thursday with pro-Telangana leaders urging the state governor to dismiss these ministers from the cabinet.

A delegation of Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Telangana Joint Action Committee, headed by K Chandrasekhara Rao and Professor Kodanda Ram, met Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum demanding the sacking of the 16 ministers.

The group of minister headed by Endowment Minister Gade Venkat Reddy, in their representation to the Srikrisha Committee last week, had strongly opposed the demand for a separate Telagnana state and said that such demands pose a threat to the integrity of the country. They had also expressed surprise that the central government had set up a committee to look into such an 'anti-national' demand.

After meeting the governor, Kodandaram told reporters that the demand for a separate Telangana state was Constitutional.

"According to Article 3 of the Constitution, a separate state can be demanded in this country. That is the difference between our Constitution and the Constitution of the United States," he said.

Kodanda Ram said the delegation apprised the governor about the circumstances in which the demand for a separate Telangana state was raised.

Interestingly, the TRS chief held a separate meeting with the governor, which went on for almost one hour.

The TRS has already given a call to the people of Telangana to stop the Andhra and Rayal Seema ministers from entering the region.

The stand of Andhra and Rayala Seema ministers has come as a shock to many within the Congress party. Several Congress leaders from Telangana region have strongly condemned the group of ministers. Congress Member of Parliament from Nizamabad Madhu Yashki has warned that the ministers will not be allowed to visit the region.