Union Minister and in-charge of AP congress affairs Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad is said to be proposing a Hong Kong-like status to Hyderabad to make it acceptable for both Seema Andhra and Telangana leaders.

Going by the popular perception that Seema Andhra people would not be averse to divide the state without disturbing Hyderabad city on the one hand and that Telangana people would not be willing to accept division with out Hyderabad being part of Telangana on the other, Azad was said to have mooted the Hong-Kong –type status to Hyderabad city.

It may be mentioned that when the British left the Hong Kong city, the Chinese converted it into a special administrative zone to protect the interests of the people who settled there during the reign of the British. That was done as part of an agreement between the British and the Chinese. And the Hong Kong city continues to be part of China but the city has its own government.

Similarly, Azad has been advocating a special administrative status to Hyderabad city which will be part of the Telangana. If Hyderabad is granted the status of special administrative zone in the state of Telangana to protect the interests of Seema Andhra business people and industrialists, that would please the Seema Andhra people while Telangana people would also feel happy as it would be part of Telangana.

In such an environment, Hyderabad city will have its own city government without depending much on the Telangana rulers. But it is only a proposal and how far it will make inroads into the minds of both Telangana and Seema Andhra people is yet to be seen.