Declare Hyderabad permanent joint capital: Chiranjeevi

Union Tourism Minister K. Chirnajeevi Saturday demanded that Hyderabad be made permanent joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana or the second capital of India.

He told reporters here that Hyderabad belonged to people of all three regions (Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema) and hence it should be made a permanent capital of the two states or the second capital of India as once suggested by B.R. Ambedkar.

The central government has announced that Hyderabad will be common capital of the two states for 10 years. Within this period, Andhra Pradesh will develop its own capital.

On the demand for his resignation to protest the central government's decision to bifurcate the state, Chiranjeevi said if his resignation would help solve the problem, he would be the first person to quit.

The actor-turned-politician stressed the need for focusing on the development of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Andhra).

He strongly condemned the remark by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandraskhara Rao that employees from Seemandhra would have to go back from Hyderabad.

The central minister said the TRS leader was making provocative statements to prolong the issue. "He is afraid of becoming politically unemployed after the formation of Telangana state," he said.

Chiranjeevi assured Seemandhra people and employees living in Hyderabad that he would stand by them. He warned Chandraskhara Rao that his provocative statements would not be tolerated.