Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is in no hurry to move out of his favourite city of Hyderabad and in fact is planning to refurbish his Jubilee Hills residence. In a politically loaded statement that is likely to spark angry reactions in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) camp, Naidu declared, "I have been living in Hyderabad for the past 30 years and I will continue to live here in the future."
Speaking at a post-Dasara 'Alai Balai' (get-together) hosted by BJP's Secunderbad MP Bandaru Dattatreya, Naidu called upon Telugu speaking people to live in harmony, irrespective of their Seemandhra or Telangana roots. While the statement may not amuse his bete noire and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who wants to see the AP government packing its bag and moving out of Hyderabad soon, Dattatreya made the two chief ministers hug each other and pose for photographs at the get-together.
Interestingly, Chandrasekhar Rao had come early and was on his way out when Naidu walked into the venue. As they crossed their paths, the BJP MP stopped them, and the two chief ministers were forced to exchange pleasantries. Though KCR was taken aback on suddenly seeing Naidu walk in, the latter went ahead to hug him.
Later, addressing the gathering, Naidu said: "The state might have been divided geographically but the people are united in their mind. There must be a conducive atmosphere so that Telugu-speaking people can live in harmony. Hyderabad has been my city for the past 30 years, and it will be even tomorrow," he added. The statement assumes political significance in view of Naidu's earlier statement in May this year that he would not leave Hyderabad till the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) comes to power in Telangana.
