"We can’t accept Hyderabad as U.T", said by K. Chandrasekhar Rao

HYDERABAD: Amidst speculations on the status of Hyderabad after the division of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said his party would not settle for anything less than Telangana comprising 10 districts with Hyderabad as its capital.

"We are seeking Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital. Without Hyderabad, Telangana state does not make any sense. We don't need such a state," said KCR, at a meet the press programme.

Responding to reports that the Centre is considering options including making Hyderabad a Union Territory or permanent capital for Telangana and Seemandhra, KCR made it clear "i will not accept this even if they behead me."

However, he welcomed the idea of the city being the common capital for 10 years as he felt it was practical. "Anybody can agree to share Hyderabad as the common capital for 10 years because the new state needs time to build a capital city," he said.

Asked about his controversial statement that Seemandhra employees should return to their region after Telanagana state is formed, the TRS chief sought to clarify that his statement was misconstrued. "I never said Andhra employees must go back. All that i said was Andhra government employees will have to work for Andhra government after the state is bifurcated. This is as per rules. There are certain rules on distribution of government employees when the boundaries are redrawn, and those rules will apply here too," he added, while assuring that people from all walks of life will be safe in Telangana.

On his political future in separate Telangana state, KCR clarified that he had never aspired to become chief minister. He reiterated that he would like to see a dalit as the first chief minister of the state.

However, he said he wanted to be the chairman of the advisory committee which would guide the state government on administration. This is similar to the position of the chairman of the UPA co-ordination committee.

He declined to answer queries on the possible merger of his party with the Congress, saying the TRS would announce its political strategy only after the passage of Telangana bill in Parliament. He said his party would not rest till the Telanagna bill is passed in both Houses of Parliament, as the Congress had in the past backtracked on the issue.