TRS chief, TDP leaders call on president over Telangana

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Ro and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders from Seemandhra Thursday called on President Pranab Mukherjee separately over the Telangana issue.

While Chandrasekhara Rao appealed to Mukherjee to expedite the process for formation of separate Telangana state, TDP leaders urged the president to take into consideration the resolutions passed in the state legislature rejecting the Telangana bill.

KCR, as Rao is popular among his followers, told reporters after the meeting that the president responded positively to his demand for completing the process for formation of the separate state.

The TRS chief, who is camping in New Delhi for last one week, already met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stress the need for early formation of Telangana state. He also called on BJP president Rajnath Singh and leaders of various parties to seek their support for the Telangana bill in parliament.

On the other hand, the TDP leaders from Seemandhra complained to Mukherjee that the central government was moving ahead with the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in an arbitrary manner and in violation of all constitutional provisions.

TDP MP Sujana Chowdary told reporters that they brought to the notice of the president the "violation of the federal spirit" by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

The TDP leaders urged the president not to forward Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 to parliament as it was rejected by both the houses of the state legislature.

TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu met the president Tuesday and appealed to him to intervene to settle the issue amicably. He alleged that the UPA government acted in a unilateral manner without consultations with the stakeholders.