Telangana Chief Minister Offers All Help for New Andhra Pradesh Capital

Vijayawada:

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao today offered all help to Andhra Pradesh for development of its state capital Amaravati.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the capital near Vijayawada, Mr Rao greeted people on behalf of government and people of Telangana on the occasion of Vijaya Dasami and also on the foundation stone of the capital. Expressing his best wishes for the development of Amaravati, he hoped that it emerge as a great city in the world.

"Telangana will extend all the help required," he said in his brief speech on his first visit to Andhra Pradesh after the division of the state. There were loud cheers from people when KCR, as Mr Rao is popularly known, rose to speak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, hailed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's gesture in personally visiting Mr Rao's house to invite him for the ceremony.

Stating that some people for their political interests created a divide between the two states, Mr Modi said both Andhra and Telangana should work together for their development and prosperity. He assured all the assistance from the central government for both the states.

Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu congratulated Mr Rao and Mr Chandrababu Naidu for sharing the dais for the first time after division of Andhra Pradesh. He said the states may have separated for administrative convenience but the Telugu people remain united.

He said the two chief ministers have showed the way that the two states could work together.

Mr Chandrababu Naidu hoped that Mr Rao would extend all cooperation in addressing all the inter-state and post bifurcation issues in an amicable way.