A rumour is doing the rounds in Telugu states that the BJP is planning to make Hyderabad a Union Territory in order to eliminate the Telangana sentiment advantage to CM K Chandrasekhar Rao. The BJP also has plans to develop Hyderabad as a permanent second capital of India so that the party can strengthen itself in the Southern states. The rumour has triggered so much speculation that the TRS government was forced to give its clarification.

Minister Talasani Srinivasa Yadav dismissed the rumour as baseless and politically motivated. There’s no such proposal in front of the Union government. Interestingly, Talasani said that their party MPs extended full support to the BJP govt at the Centre on the passage of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill in the Parliament.

Analysts say that the Hyderabad public is discussing widely on Union Territory status just because their city has emerged as the fastest growing city in South India in the last two years thanks to booming IT industry. Moreover, Rashtrapati Nilayam is located in Bolarum in Hyderabad where the President visits and stays at least once a year. It has all the facilities for the President to conduct his official business.