MEET SEVERAL TOP LEADERS-No alternative to T: Cong MPs tell high command

New Delhi: Congress MPs from Telangana forcefully pressed their statehood demand with the high command, arguing that their plea was based on a strong mass movement while sections opposing division of Andhra Pradesh could not point to any popular support. At a meeting with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee,Congresss chief troubleshooter,late on Wednesday evening, they attacked the committees report for being inaccurate about Telangana with regard to critical issues like water availability. The MPs said that they had been able to ward off a move by MLAs and other party leaders in Andhra Pradesh to quit their posts at a meeting on Tuesday only on the assurance that they would get justice from the Congress high command.

The MPs said they were open to Hyderabad being a shared capital of Telangana and Seemandhra till a separate capital was developed for the latter.They made it plain that there could be no going back on the statehood demand. Besides Mukherjee, senior party leaders AK Antony,Ahmed Patel and M Veerappa Moily were present.The MPs said that the pro-Telangana parties had pushed for the implementation of those recommendations of the Srikrishna Committee,which favoured formation of a new state. Among the Congress MPs who were at Mukherjees house were Madhu Yaskhi Goud,V Hanumantha Rao and Manda Jagannatham.
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BJP plans T rally on Feb 15

Want separate Telangana? then remove inefficient Congress government. This will be the slogan of BJP which is organising a rally along with NDA partners at Nizam College grounds on February 15. Accor-ding to state president G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday, BJP would explain to people that it was the only party which had a very clear and categorical opinion in regard to smaller states. It would reiterate its commitment to tabling a bill in Parliament on separate Telangana state,if it was voted to power in the next polls.

The rally would be attended by BJP national president Nitin Gadkari,LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thakre, NDA convener Sharad Yadav and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leaders. Pointing out the BJP had assured the UPA of support to the T bill in Parliament,he said protests would be held at all mandal headquarters in Telangana on January 27 demanding introduction of the bill in the budget session.It would also launch village-level protests on February 1 in support of the bill. Other agitations lined up by the party are Rythu Poru in Anantapur on January 18 and Palle Pilupu during third week of February.
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(source-toi)