Hyderabad,Dec 9: Backward Classes Minister Welfare Mukhesh Goud on Wednesday urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to declare Hyderabad as a Union Territory in the event of the Centre mulling constitution of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.In a letter addressed to the Congress president, the Minister asked the party supremo to consider declaring Hyderabad as a Union Territory if the Centre is keen on forming a separate Telangana state. The Minister’s views were also supported by Health Minister Danam Nagender and eight other MLAs representing the Greater Hyderabad zone.Goud said the Greater Hyderabad had become the fifth largest city in the country after the formation of Andhra Pradesh state in 1956.
People who have come from various parts of the country were living peacefully here and contributed to the development of Hyderabad by establishing their industrial and business establishments, he noted in the letter.The Minister urged Sonia Gandhi to accord Union Territory status to Hyderabad before constituting Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh to protect the interests of Coastal and Rayalaseema people.