Karnataka CM skirts demand for developing Raichur

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai asserted that not an inch of State’s territory would be handed over to Telangana but chose to ignore the demand of the people of Raichur district, who demanded development which was done in the neighbouring Telangana State.

Hyderabad: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai asserted that not an inch of the State’s territory would be handed over to Telangana but chose to ignore the demand of the people of Raichur district demanding development as was being done in the neighbouring Telangana State.

The Karnataka Chief Minister was referring to the demand by residents of Raichur that the district be merged with Telangana in view of the rapid pace of development.

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Bommai’s comments came in the wake of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s observations that people in Raichur wanted the district to be merged with Telangana impressed with the State’s welfare and developmental programmes.

Chandrashekhar Rao, while addressing at a public meeting in Vikarabad last week said people in Raichur were impressed with Telangana’s welfare schemes.

Lamenting about lack of development in their region, Karnataka people wanted to prosper like Telangana people due to effective implementation of Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, 24 hours of free power supply to the farming community, he had said.

However, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai during his visit to Raichur on Saturday blew things out of proportion and in a vain bid attempted to project Telangana in poor light.

While the Raichur people and elected public representatives demanded implementation of Telangana’s welfare programmes, the Karnataka Chief Minister reportedly described the Telangana Chief Minister’s comments as “ridiculous”.

He even wanted the Telangana Chief Minister to focus on the issues pertaining to the State and desist from eyeing Karnataka territory.

Even as the residents were hoping for development in the region, the Karnataka Chief Minister in contrast claimed that Raichur was forging ahead in development. He said many infrastructure works were underway and funds were allocated under the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB).