Ensure smooth bifurcation: Centre to Andhra leaders

Amid protests in Seemandhra against the division of Andhra Pradesh, the Centre today appealed to political parties in the state not to make "dangerous" statements and cooperate with it to ensure smooth bifurcation.
"The bill can only go so far... But unless the political process unites people rather than dividing people, the process of bifurcation will be very very painful," Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said.
A key author of the Telangana draft bill, Ramesh said that the bill makes provision for ensuring that bifurcation is smooth and equitable.
"However, if political parties make political statements, if political parties make, what in my view are, dangerous statements, no bill can instill confidence in the people," said the minister who represents Andhra Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha.

His statement came amid reports that his party colleague and Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has signalled a rebellion in the Congress against the bifurcation move.
"Political process is very very important. Unfortunately, the statements that have been made by certain leaders have provoked a lot of fear and uncertainty and I feel that now the priority should be to discuss the bill in the Andhra Assembly and it will come back to Parliament," he said.
"Lot of political parties have created lot of fear and uncertainty by their provocative statements. Political parties across the spectrum... Without exception," Ramesh said.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave the go-ahead for the creation of a 10-district Telangana and outlined the blueprint for carving out the country's 29th state from the current Andhra Pradesh.