Congress for split AP
Hyderabad: Brushing aside objections and apprehensions from Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and several ministers from the Seemandhra region, the Congress Central leadership has “in principle” decided to divide the state of Andhra Pradesh, which has been in existence since 1956, in order to fulfil the five-decade-old demand for a separate state of Telangana.
The Congress Central leaders conveyed the decision to the state Congress leadership on Friday morning. However, there is no word yet about the nature of the division — whether it will be “pure” Telangana state with 10 districts of Telangana region and Hyderabad as its capital city, or Rayala Telangana state to include Kurnool and Anantapur districts of the backward Rayalaseema region.
The status of Hyderabad, which has been the capital for all the regions of the state since 1956, is also unknown.
The Congress Core Committee meeting held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence on Friday evening reportedly decided the modalities of the division of the state. There has been no official announcement.
Congress favours a Rayala T
The Congress leadership has reportedly decided in favour of Rayala Telangana state comprising 10 Telangana districts and Kurnool and Anantapur districts of Rayalaseema. The Congress Working Committee may meet on August 6 to endorse the decision of party chief Sonia Gandhi on the state bifurcation.
Next: Diggy says time for talks is over
Diggy says time for talks is over
Hyderabad: Coming out of the Congress Core Committee meeting on Friday evening, AICC general secretary in-charge of AP affairs Digvijay Singh said, “The consultation is over. You should await the decision of the party and the UPA government.”
Singh’s words seemed to suggest that the CWC which will take the final decision, will meet very soon to “endorse” the Congress president’s decision and the UPA government will then begin the process.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who has been vehemently opposing division of the state, rushed to see Sonia Gandhi in a last-minute effort to stall the state’s division. He returned within two minutes and left Delhi. There was no word from either the CM or PCC president.
Earlier in the day, Digvijay Singh and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had separate meetings with Kiran Kumar Reddy, Botsa Satyanarayana and Dy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha in the Congress War Room at 15, Gurudwara Rikab Gunj Marg near Parliament House. They conveyed the “decision of the Congress president” with regard to the division of the state. The stunned Chief Minister tried to marshal fresh arguments against division, but he was told clearly that the decision has been taken and he needs to cooperate with its implementation.
A visibly upset Chief Minister returned to AP Bhavan and informed waiting Seemandhra ministers about what had transpired at the meeting. The downcast Seemandhra ministers went into a huddle for some time before deciding to write a letter to the Congress president threatening to resign if the state is going to be divided.
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