Andhra CM to oppose state's bifurcation

Kiran Kumar Reddy says will ensure most legislators will vote against draft AP States Reorganisation Bill when it is referred to state Assembly by President

Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy, on Saturday said that he would not cooperate for the division of the state "under any circumstances".

Inaugurating Pulichintala dam in Guntur district, Reddy, who is opposed to the state's bifurcation from the beginning, said that he would ensure that majority of the legislators would vote against the draft AP States Reorganisation Bill 2013 when it would be referred to the state Assembly by the President, Pranab Mukherjee.

The draft bill, which provides for creation of a new Telangana state had been cleared by the Union Cabinet on December 5 and was referred to the President the very next day. As per the reports reaching here, the President was likely to send the bill to the AP Assembly on Monday for the opinion of the state legislators.

The Union minister of state for commerce and industry, D Purandeshwari, also said that the Centre should solve the problems of the people of Seemandhra (Andhra and Rayalaseema regions) before going ahead with the state's bifurcation. If not, she had to "vote against the bill" when it would be taken up for the consideration of Parliament.   

Addressing a press conference here today, Purandeshwari said that she had sent a letter to the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, to this effect.

Meanwhile, the shut down in  Seemandhra in protest against the Centre's decision to bifurcate the state continued for the second day.