Guntur: A day after senior minister Kanna Lakshminarayana stated that industrial growth was not hit due to agitations in the state, IT minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Monday admitted that the protests have indeed marred the state's prospects in the information and technology sector.
He said the state could have been at the top of the IT exports list had there not been agitations and protests. He, however, backed all the peaceful agitations demanding the separate statehood for Telangana. Speaking to media here on Monday, Komatireddy, a strong votary of separate Telangana, said the state was pushed to fourth place in the IT sector in the country due to the disturbing environment.
He said the government had handled the crisis well and hoped that the state would take the first slot in the IT sector by next year as several top firms were on expansion mode and global economy is on recovery path. Reiterating his pledge to quit the state cabinet in case a separate T-state was not granted, Komatireddy, however, said it might take at least two-three months for the Union government to take a final call after the Srikrishna committee submits its report. Making light of Bhongiri meeting fracas on Sunday, Komatireddy said they would keep the portraits of late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in all the official and party meetings. He had granted several schemes for Telangana and is in the hearts of the people.
He said there were a handful of leaders who did not like YSR. People would teach a lesson to those who criticise YSR, he remarked. Komatireddy, who is also in-charge of sports ministry, said that the government would soon regularise services of nearly 60 coaches working with Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh.
