Statehood for Telangana is likely to be announced before the monsoon session of Parliament,a critical decision that Congress hopes will turn its political fortunes in Andhra Pradesh where it faces the mammoth task of retaining power and securing a big Lok Sabha tally.
The nod to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will mark the end of over three-year long suspense since December 2009 when UPA rolled back the announcement for Telangana under pressure from leaders of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. The ruling camp is said to have made up its mind to create a new state despite the continuing opposition from sections within the AP unit of the party and some central leaders.The leadership is still engaged in discussions but,it is learnt,they revolve around the nitty-gritties of how the decision is to be implemented.
The Congress organization,including state ministers,held a huge rally in Hyderabad on June 30 seeking Telangana.The massive show on the polarizing issue would not have been possible without the leaderships backing,and showed that the leadership had finally come around to resurrect its December 2009 promise for statehood.An announcement is likely before the Parliament session in the first week of August. Division of AP is seen by Congress as a step towards redeeming its credibility that took a beating in the wake of its volte face in December 2009.
The party estimates that bifurcation will put it on top of 19 seats of Telangana since the only potent force in the region,Telangana Rashtra Samithi,would be left without its core issue.It would also seek to check any momentum in favour of BJP that is looking to beef up its modest organizational muscle with the promise of statehood. The Congress move on AP to repair its political fortunes is part of the larger national design with an eye on 2014.In Tamil Nadu,it has moved closer to DMK,its ally turned detractor that only recently left UPA accusing the Centre of ignoring plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
At the same time,the party sealed a deal last week with JMM,agreeing to prop up its government in Jharkhand in return for a tie-up for Lok Sabha polls while cornering 10 of the 14 parliamentary seats.
Congress has been rudderless in Andhra Pradesh that accounts for 42 Lok Sabha seats since the death of its mascot YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2009.While the party faces hostility in Telangana for reneging on its promise of statehood,it is staring at massive mobilization in favour of rebel Jaganmohan Reddy in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Diggy keeps all on Tenterhooks -Says Decision Only After 3 AP Leaders Submit Reports
AICC general secretary and incharge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh on Monday said that a decision on Telangana would be announced soon after three leaders from the state submit their reports on the issue.But the fact that the reports will not be unanimous once again throws into uncertainty whether any concrete decision on the separate state demand would emerge in the coming days.And this uncertainty comes at a time when the Congress has been making public that it is on the verge of taking a decision on Telangana.
I have submitted my proposals to party president Sonia Gandhi.We are waiting for chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy,PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana and deputy chief minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha to submit their reports.The moment that is done,the Congress will announce its decision on Telangana, Digvijay told the media in Delhi on Monday.
However,it is certain there would be no consensus among the three leaders.Botsa said he was ready with his report.I have made it clear that personally I am for an united AP.I will reiterate the same at the Congress core committee meeting, he told TOI.Aides close to the CM said Kiran Kumar Reddy too,would state clearly in his report that there was no Telangana sentiment and that there was no need to divide the state.On the other hand,Damodar Rajanarasimha said he would state in his report that nothing short of separate state would be acceptable for the people of the region.
But what has flummoxed many was Digvijays statement as it was made barely a few minutes after he met an Osmania University Students JAC delegation.During the meeting,the AICC general secretary was said to have told the students to start distributing sweets as good news would be coming in their way soon.
Leaders from both sides of the state also questioned on Monday as to what was the reason for the Congress to seek further inputs on the separate state demand when so many opinions and views have already been elicited over the last four years ever since the issue flared up once again.
The comments came in the wake of the AICC general secretary on Monday meeting Union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy and Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary for their views on Telangana.
Digvijay Singh
(Source-toi)
The nod to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will mark the end of over three-year long suspense since December 2009 when UPA rolled back the announcement for Telangana under pressure from leaders of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. The ruling camp is said to have made up its mind to create a new state despite the continuing opposition from sections within the AP unit of the party and some central leaders.The leadership is still engaged in discussions but,it is learnt,they revolve around the nitty-gritties of how the decision is to be implemented.
The Congress organization,including state ministers,held a huge rally in Hyderabad on June 30 seeking Telangana.The massive show on the polarizing issue would not have been possible without the leaderships backing,and showed that the leadership had finally come around to resurrect its December 2009 promise for statehood.An announcement is likely before the Parliament session in the first week of August. Division of AP is seen by Congress as a step towards redeeming its credibility that took a beating in the wake of its volte face in December 2009.
The party estimates that bifurcation will put it on top of 19 seats of Telangana since the only potent force in the region,Telangana Rashtra Samithi,would be left without its core issue.It would also seek to check any momentum in favour of BJP that is looking to beef up its modest organizational muscle with the promise of statehood. The Congress move on AP to repair its political fortunes is part of the larger national design with an eye on 2014.In Tamil Nadu,it has moved closer to DMK,its ally turned detractor that only recently left UPA accusing the Centre of ignoring plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
At the same time,the party sealed a deal last week with JMM,agreeing to prop up its government in Jharkhand in return for a tie-up for Lok Sabha polls while cornering 10 of the 14 parliamentary seats.
Congress has been rudderless in Andhra Pradesh that accounts for 42 Lok Sabha seats since the death of its mascot YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2009.While the party faces hostility in Telangana for reneging on its promise of statehood,it is staring at massive mobilization in favour of rebel Jaganmohan Reddy in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Diggy keeps all on Tenterhooks -Says Decision Only After 3 AP Leaders Submit Reports
AICC general secretary and incharge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh on Monday said that a decision on Telangana would be announced soon after three leaders from the state submit their reports on the issue.But the fact that the reports will not be unanimous once again throws into uncertainty whether any concrete decision on the separate state demand would emerge in the coming days.And this uncertainty comes at a time when the Congress has been making public that it is on the verge of taking a decision on Telangana.
I have submitted my proposals to party president Sonia Gandhi.We are waiting for chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy,PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana and deputy chief minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha to submit their reports.The moment that is done,the Congress will announce its decision on Telangana, Digvijay told the media in Delhi on Monday.
However,it is certain there would be no consensus among the three leaders.Botsa said he was ready with his report.I have made it clear that personally I am for an united AP.I will reiterate the same at the Congress core committee meeting, he told TOI.Aides close to the CM said Kiran Kumar Reddy too,would state clearly in his report that there was no Telangana sentiment and that there was no need to divide the state.On the other hand,Damodar Rajanarasimha said he would state in his report that nothing short of separate state would be acceptable for the people of the region.
But what has flummoxed many was Digvijays statement as it was made barely a few minutes after he met an Osmania University Students JAC delegation.During the meeting,the AICC general secretary was said to have told the students to start distributing sweets as good news would be coming in their way soon.
Leaders from both sides of the state also questioned on Monday as to what was the reason for the Congress to seek further inputs on the separate state demand when so many opinions and views have already been elicited over the last four years ever since the issue flared up once again.
The comments came in the wake of the AICC general secretary on Monday meeting Union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy and Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary for their views on Telangana.
Digvijay Singh
(Source-toi)
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