Senior minister K. Jana Reddy said on Sunday that the Congress’s central leadership is almost ready to grant Telangana statehood any time now.
Speaking to newsmen in the Assembly lobbies on Sunday, Mr Jana Reddy said he has got definite information from the Centre that it was going to grant statehood for Telangana either before December 9 or immediately after.
He also said that the people of Telangana do not want the Chief Minister’s post for the region in lieu of Telangana state, “but we will be happy if the Chief Minister’s post is given to the region along with the announcement of separate statehood for Telangana.”
He ruled out reports of certain Congress leaders attempting to float a political front to fight for the cause of Telangana in case the statehood demand is denied. “Where is the need to float a front now, when the Centre is going to grant the T-state?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Government Whip Thorpu Jayaprakash Reddy, created a sensation by saying that the people of the Telangana region do not want a separate state but only want development. He demanded the Central leadership announce an econo-mic package for the region.
“I am going to meet party leaders in Delhi on December 8 to press for an economic package for the region. There is no need for a separate state for Telangana,” he said in a sudden volte face, since only a few days ago he had announced that he would undertake a padayatra from Sangareddy to New Delhi to demand the separate state.
Reminded of this statement, the MLA said airily, “There is no need for a separate state now.”
State information minister D. K. Aruna was not too happy with Mr Jayapra-kash Reddy’s statement.
Meeting him in the Assembly, she demanded to know how he could make such a statement “when people are dying for Telan-gana and the statehood demand has been there over five decades. If you insist on your statement, people of Telangana will excommunicate you,” she warned.