Vijayawada, Oct 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was pained by the loss of life and damage to property that came with the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and blamed the former Congress-led government for dividing the state in haste.

"Andhra and Telangana bifurcation was done in a hurry, without proper consultation, but I am still pained by the loss of innocent life and damage to property that took place...," Modi said after laying the foundation stone for new state capital Amaravati near here.

"There are some things that the British did and it still bothers us... The former government has also done something similar... there is always tension between Andhra and Telangana," he said as Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu translated it in Telugu.

"Whether it is Andhra or Telangana, our soul is Telugu. Both states are two arms of the Telugu soul, both states shall prosper," he said.

He also said that three states were divided in former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure, but there was no bad blood.

"Three states were divided in Vajpayee's time, there was no bloodshed, no bad feelings, I wish that for Andhra and Telangana too," he said.