CM, Dy CM clash in coordination panel

Kiran protests unilateralism of high command.

• Warns of water wars
• Rajanarasimha hits back, says mechanism is in place to avert disputes
• Chiru pleads for Union Territory status for Hyderabad
• PCC Chief takes middle path, wants justice for all
• Second meeting of coordination panel to be held in Hyderabad in December

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Coordination Committee, which was supposed to iron out differences between the Telangana and Seemandhra regions, turned into a venue for a clash between Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha. Sources stated there were heated arguments in the meeting, with verbal duel between Kiran and Damodar Rajanarasimha. The bone of contention was Hyderabad, besides water-sharing, with the Chief Minister protesting against the unilateralism of the Congress high command over the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He warned the Congress leadership of water wars.

Kiran Reddy is understood to have pointed out that bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would harm the party’s poll prospects in the upcoming simultaneous Assembly and parliament elections and even result in water wars. The Chief Minister stuck to his guns and reiterated his opposition to what he termed as the unilateralism of the party on the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Rajanarasimha hit back at the Chief Minister by claiming that courts, tribunals and similar mechanisms were in place for water-sharing and there was no reason for becoming alarmist on the water-sharing issue.

Rajanarsimha is also understood to have insisted that the municipal corporation limits of Hyderabad should be considered for joint capital for 10 years and not the Greater Hyderabad area.

Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi upped the ante on Hyderabad, by demanding Union Territory status for it. He also staked claim to a share in the revenue accruing from Hyderabad. The contention was that heavy investments were made in the Hyderabad infrastructure, which was yielding higher revenue.

APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana is understood to have taken the middle path by asking for ensuring justice to all, before proceeding further in the matter. Botcha is also understood to have referred to the creation of PCC for Telangana, when the discussion shifted to gearing up for elections. Digvijay Singh and AICC secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Thirunavakarasu agreed with him.

Seemandhra has predominance in the AP Congress Coordination Committee, with Chief Minister Kiran Reddy, APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana and Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi hailing from the region. Telangana was solely represented by Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, with AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and AICC secretary Thirunavakarasau representing the high command.

Digvijay Singh later said that the second meeting of the Coordination Committee would be held in Hyderabad either in the first or the second week of December. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Coordination Committee was set up when Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was in-charge of Andhra Pradesh. After Azad relinquished charges and Digvijay Singh took over, it was reconstituted with six members. Digvijay Singh explained that since this was the first meeting after he assumed charge, the meeting was being held in the capital.

According to sources, Digvijay Singh at the meeting on Friday made a determined to get Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on board, in facilitating smooth sailing for the Telangana Bill in Andhra Pradesh Assembly. With the Telangana Bill slated to be sent to the Assembly in the fourth week of November, the main agenda for the meeting was to draw up a roadmap to ensure that the Telangana Bill does not face any hurdles in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh was called to the Congress War Room at 15, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Road in the Capital soon after the meeting concluded and Digvijay Singh held confabulations with him. Significantly, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy met Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh prior to the meeting. After the meeting concluded, Jairam Ramesh was called to the Congress War Room.

Ahead of the crucial Andhra Pradesh Congress Coordination Committee meeting, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and APCC President Botcha Satyanarayana separately called on Digvijay Singh and held one-on-one discussions with him.