Yeddy to Lead All-party Delegation to Delhi on Special Status for Hyderabad-Karnataka Region

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 26: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Friday promised to lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to renew pressure on the Centre to provide special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka region by amending Article 371 of the Constitution.

The chief minister, who met former Minister and president of the Hyderabad-Karnataka Horata Samiti Vaijanath Patil, former MLA Bheemanna Khandre and Kannada journalist Patil Puttappa, said a meeting of leaders of all parties would be convened soon to discuss the issue.

The all-party delegation would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and appealed to him to the grant the special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka region on lines of the status granted to Telangana in neighbouring state.

The special status on the lines of Telengana would help in providing special reservation in job and educational opportunities for people of the backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region. The special status was sought for five districts of Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and Bidar

Vaijanath Patil, however, stoutly opposed seeking of the special status to the region on the lines of status that granted to Vidharba region where people had been denied reservation in jobs.

In the just concluded budget session, the State Legislature adopted a resolution urging the Union Government to amend the Constitution to provide special status to the backward region of Hyderabad Karnataka in the State under Article 371 as being done in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

As per the promise made to people in the ruling BJP’s  manifesto during the assembly election, Patil said, the Chief Minister should have led an all-party delegation immediately after assuming charge to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and renewed pressure on the Union Government to amend Article 371.