RSS to drum up support for Greater Rayalaseema

Anantapur: Rayalaseema Rashtra Samithi (RRS) president Kancham Venkata Subba Reddy in a press statement stated that the demand for separate state is getting support from senior political leaders in the Rayalaseema region.

Subba Reddy, who is on a campaign trail to drum up support for separate statehood to Rayalaseema, has revealed that he met ex-MPs J C Diwakar Reddy, Tadipatri Municipal Chairman J C Prabhakar Reddy and ex-MP Mysoora Reddy and also ex- MP Gangula Pratapa Reddy and held serious discussions on the injustice meted out to the backward Rayalaseema region.

The RRS president said that the leaders have appreciated the idea of separate statehood to Rayalaseema and have lent their support to the cause. Subba Reddy said that he would also meet leaders of all shades in districts including Chittoor, Kadapa, Nelĺore and Prakasam districts. He said he would also meet Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and urge him to pass a resolution in the Assembly for creation of greater Rayalaseema state before the forthcoming Assembly session.

He demanded the government to ensure that Andhra University set up its centre in Anantapur. Also, Rayalaseema should be given top priority with regard to water allocation from Krishna, Tungabhadra and Penna river basins for a period of 10 years. Also, Rayalaseema should have equal number of Assembly constituencies on par with the coastal districts. These demands are part of the Sri Bagh Agreement.

The RRS revealed that the Rayalaseema districts were assured of the fulfillment of the above mentioned demands in the form of Sri Bagh agreement and that was the reason why Rayalaseema districts fully and actively participated in the Seemandhra integration movement. But the region was given raw deal after bifurcation of AP.