Rajagopal to challenge bifurcation in SC

Terming the government's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh 'unconstitutional' and 'undemocratic', Congress MP from Seemandhra L Rajagopal Friday said he will move the Supreme Court challenging the decision.

The move violates the federal principles and structure of the Constitution, he said. Contending that majority of the people of Andhra Pradesh are against the bifurcation, he said when a resolution in this regard is moved in the State Assembly, we will ensure that it is defeated. I will move the Supreme Court challenging the Union Cabinet's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, he said. Overcoming stiff resistance from Congress leaders and Ministers from Seemandhra, the Union Cabinet had yesterday decided to go ahead with creation of Telangana from out of Andhra Pradesh Rajagopal, who represents the Vijayawada constituency, expressed confidence that other Parliamentarians and ministers from the region will support him.

He also said that the State Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Union Ministers from Seemandhra region and ministers and MLAs of Seemandhra will meet at Hyderabad today to chalk out further strategy. Holding that there should be strict guidelines when it comes to the issue of bifurcation of a state, he referred to the landmark judgement in 1994 in S R Bommai vs Union of India case where the Apex Court had established strict guidelines for invoking Article 356 for imposition of President's Rule in a state. He said that in most of the cases the decision to bifurcate the state are nothing but imposition of the Centre's will on the people and it is against the federal principles.

Union HRD Minister Pallamraju and filmstar-turned- politician and Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi had last night offered to quit protesting the Cabinet decision. Chiranjeevi has faxed his offer to resign to the Prime Minister's Office, his personal assistant said.

Pallamraju said that he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the Cabinet decision and made the offer to quit but he asked him not to act in haste.

The meeting of the Cabinet presided by the Prime Minister had also decided that Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.