Andhra workers settled in Telangana urged to transfer their votes

Telangana's finance minister T. Harish Rao has advised people from Andhra Pradesh who are settled in this state to enrol themselves as voters in Telangana.

He said workers from Andhra Pradesh who are settled here should cancel their votes in Andhra Pradesh and register themselves as voters in Telangana.

Stating that there is a vast difference between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said the workers from the neighbouring state should transfer their votes.

The minister made the comments while laying the foundation stone for Mestri Sangham Bhavan in Sangareddy.

"Many people from other states are settled in Telangana. There are many from Andhra Pradesh. You have seen both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. You keep visiting Andhra Pradesh and you know the condition of roads and hospitals in that state," he said.

"You have seen all. Then why should you have votes there? Cancel your votes there and enrol here. Chief Minister [K. Chandrashekar Rao] says all those sweating for development of Telangana towns and villages are children of Telangana," he added.

The finance minister also told the gathering that the chief minister would announce good news for them on May Day. He said a karmika bhavan will be constructed in every district, in an area of one acre, at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The foundation stone for these buildings would be laid on May Day.

Harish Rao's comments are seen as an attempt by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to woo the migrant population from Andhra Pradesh in the run up to Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

Greater Hyderabad and surrounding districts have a sizeable number of migrants often referred to as settlers. Many of these workers are engaged in the construction sector. There are an estimated 40 lakh people from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions settled in Telangana.