As Telangana turns 'deaf ear,' BJP approches Union ministers

Hyderabad: Alleging neglect by the State government on issues pertaining to backward districts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in the State have decided to take the responsibility of getting the work done by themselves by representing the issues to the concerned Union Ministers directly.

The BJP State unit leaders have taken up several issues with the Central Ministers in the last month, and accuse the State government of adopting a partisan attitude on allocation of funds and projects to districts.

A senior BJP leader pointed out that the Jogulamba-Gadwal was the most backward district in the State and there has been demand from various authorities for the establishment of a medical college. The president of Senior Citizens Welfare Association, Jogulamba-Gadwal district K Mohan Rao also gave a memorandum to the State government requesting for a 300-bedded hospital.

However, when the State government failed to respond, the State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar took the issue directly to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. In a letter to the Union Health Minister, Bandi said that the Gadwal District Collector had identified 150 acres of government land for establishment of new medical college, but the State government kept mum on the proposal. Sanjay urged the Union Health Minister to sanction a medical college with a 300-bedded hospital in the district.

Similarly, taking up another issue, the BJP chief wrote to the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting for stoppage of trains at Garlarailway station. Bandinoted that Garlawas an important place connecting the agency areas in the State borders and was surrounded by a large number of villages.

Station earnings from general ticket sales alone were Rs 1.5 crore per annum, he noted, adding thatlarge number of business persons travel to Mahabubabad, Khammam, Ramagundam, even to places in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh like Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, Visakhapatnam, Nellore and Tirupati and also to Maharashtra.

The BJP leader also requested for upgradation of passenger amenities, correction of gap between platform and train on platform number 1, removal of level crossings between Dornakal to Garla and construction of fly over, provision of level crossing at other side of Pakala rivulet for the benefit of residents of Ramapuram, Madhivancha Thandas (tribal habitations) and stoppage of trains like Singareni Fast Passenger, Manuguru Superfast, Satavahana Express and Intercity.

Party leaders said that the party would take up issues which the State government was neglecting and get them solved by taking them to the notice of Central Ministers.