Hyderabad, Dec 16 (IANS) An Andhra Pradesh minister Wednesday said he would launch a movement for separate statehood to Greater Hyderabad in the event of formation of a separate Telangana state.
Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Mukesh Goud, who comes from Greater Hyderabad, told reporters that he was not against the centre’s decision to initiate the process for separate statehood to the Telangana region.

“Our only demand is that Hyderabad should get the status of a separate state and we will fight for this,” he said.

Goud also appealed to all the political parties not to create problems in Hyderabad by taking up any protests in the name of “separate Telangana” or “united Andhra”.

Goud had earlier written a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanding separate statehood to Greater Hyderabad as people from all regions of the state and different parts of the country live here.

State Minister for Health D. Nagender, also from Hyderabad, had raised the demand for making Greater Hyderabad a separate state or union territory. He, however, later said he would abide by the centre’s decision.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and other groups are not ready to accept separate Telangana state without Hyderabad. They have made it clear that Hyderabad would be the capital of the new state.