The governments of Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh are at loggerheads with each other over sharing of seats in National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal. The Telangana State government hinted that it move the court if it was denied fair deal by the Central government ignoring the rule book.

Fearing Andhra Pradesh government’s lobbying with the Central government to grab Telangana’s share in NIT, Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari met HRD Secretary and put forth the priority of the State government as far as seats in their quota were concerned.

NIT had 740 seats of which Andhra Pradesh was allegedly trying to get 50 per cent seats citing Section 271/D of the Constitution. But Telangana State government claimed that the institute was a venture of the Central government and 50 per cent of the seats were for the home State as per rules.

“NIT Warangal is now part of Telangana State. Therefore, candidates of Telangana deserve 50 per cent seats in the institute. Since the party in power in Andhra Pradesh is part of the NDA government, it can manage to get some favours from the government. I am here to tell the government to not adopt any illegal and unconstitutional means to give benefit to Andhra Pradesh government,” Srihari said.

The Telangana Deputy Chief Minister said that he wanted to meet HRD Minister Smriti Irani to request her to follow rules while taking a decision on this issue. “As far as our government is concerned, we will not accept any dictate of the Central government on seat-sharing, ignoring the rules. We will knock the doors of the court to get things sorted out if we find anything illegal,” said Srihari.

“Telangana State will not compromise on its stand on seat-sharing, but it will not have any objection if the Centre increases the intake capacity of the institute to adjust students of Andhra Pradesh,” he said.