The Congress high command has sent a strong message to the party leadership in the state that resignations by party MPs and MLAs will not solve the Telangana issue.
It has directed chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to hold talks with Congress MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the T-region individually and persuade them against pressing for acceptance of their resignations. The party central leadership hopes that once the “talks” process on Telangana gets into motion, MPs and legislators will withdraw their papers. It is likely to come out with some sort of assurance later this week on the controversial Telangana issue to keep the T flock in the party together.
Mr Kiran Kumar has been instructed to ensure that the MPs and MLAs do not cross the party discipline. The Congress central leadership’s message seems to clear on the T-issue that it could be solved only through consultations and not through resignations. The Congress is likely to assure its leaders in Telangana that the issue would be addressed in a phased manner.
This has prompted the chief minister to engage three of the 12 ministers who have resigned to take up the “operation withdrawal of resignations”.
In the last few days the trio met some of the legislators, who have submitted their resignations, and promised that the party Central leadership will protect “their constituency interests”.
The ministers also assured them that they would be offered “better treatment in future”.
The legislators were told that it would be in the best interest of the party that they withdraw their resignations as the high command will come out with an assurance in the next few days.
According to sources, about a dozen legislators told the group of three ministers that they are ready to withdraw their resignations if the central leadership given an assurance on Telangana.