MHA clueless on Hyderabad status
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Hyderabad: The Union home ministry is still not clear on what will be the status of Hyderabad which has been declared the joint capital of the two bifurcated halves of the state for 10 years by the Congress Working Committee.
The home ministry, which is preparing a special note for the Union Cabinet’s consideration is reportedly stuck on the issue of Hyderabad as joint capital. The option available under the constitution to make it a Union Territory has been strongly opposed by all groups.
During his meetings with Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh in Delhi on Wednesday, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reportedly reiterated his opposition to bifurcation of the state.
According to sources, the Chief Minister said it will be very difficult to satisfy everyone on the issue of what would be the status of Hyderabad.
Asked to give his own proposal on this, the Chief Minister reportedly told them that it is because of such difficulties that he has been advocating united AP and he cannot offer any proposals in the present surcharged atmosphere.
As per the statute, the capital city can be declared as a Union Territory for 10 years, under the administration of the Central government. Any other status for Hyderabad, like allowing special provisions to the Centre to administer law and or-der and general administration and all other subjects coming under Telangana state, will require an amendment to the statute.
However, this needs to be discussed in detail as the extent of the jurisdiction of the Seemaandhra state government in Hyderabad city also needs to be worked out, the Chief Minister reportedly suggested.
He also reportedly enquired from the Centre that should Hyderabad be declared Union Territory, what would be the jurisdiction of the UT — the HMDA area comprising 34 Assembly segments, or the GHMC area comprising 24 Assembly segments, or Hyderabad Revenue District, which has 15 Assembly segments.
Reddy also conveyed to them that almost all political parties and people’s organisations are opposed to declaring Hyderabad a Union Territory.
In a related development, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh reportedly told the Chief Minister that before finalising the draft bill on bifurcation, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly will have to pass a resolution on creation of Telangana state as per the convention ado-pted during the NDA regime.
The Chief Minister met President Pranab Mukherjee later in the day and invited him to be the chief guest at the centenary celebrations of former President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy some time in December this year.
In another development, former minister Konda Surekha and K.K. Mahender Reddy joined the Congress in the presence of Digvijay Singh and the Chief Minister.
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