The Telangana government on Friday demanded an amendment to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, to facilitate the return of seven revenue mandals in erstwhile Khammam district, back to their jurisdiction.
The seven mandals had shifted to Andhra during bifurcation.
The point was raised by TRS MP Vinod Kumar when he was taking part in the debate in Lok Sabha over the no confidence motion against the Modi-led NDA government.
"People's expectation of this government across the nation are not fulfilled by Modiji's government. Particularly, the people were annoyed on the first day of this government," he said.
Stating that the decision to merge the mandals into Andhra was taken at the government's first cabinet meeting, Vinod said that the Centre had done so after pressure by the TDP and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Pointing out that the Centre had even passed an ordinance 'against the spirit of the Constitution', the TRS MP said that Telangana had lost the Sileru Hydel Power station because of this move.
"Khammam district was formed from Warangal district in 1952 under Hyderabad state. Those seven mandals were snatched away from a new-born state. We discussed this issue at length at the time and TRS took strong objection," he said.
"We demand a new bill to amend the Reorgansation Act to ensure that the 7 mandals are merged back into Telangana," he added.
In another development, Vinod Kumar also asked Congress President Rahul Gandhi to elaborate on the details of special category status (SCS) to Andhra, as his party had promised to implement it, if it was voted to power.
The TRS MP also sought to know what kind of incentives would be extended to the state.
Stating that the NDA government did not fulfil the aspirations of the people during its four-year rule, Vinod Kumar also said that the TRS government had no objection if the Centre funded the Polavaram project, but insisted that the same national status be granted to Telangana’s Kaleswaram project.