AP parties hustle ahead of meet on Telangana

Intra-party consultations are on full swing in Andhra Pradesh, ahead of the crucial all-party meeting convened by Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, on the issue of a separate Telangana state on December 28.

Telangana Congress MPs, shocked earlier by party leader in charge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad’s remarks on Shinde’s plans, were jubilant again as the home minister refused to postpone the meeting.

After Telangana MPs secured confirmation on the all-party meeting on the eve of FDI vote in Parliament, Azad dampened the mood by saying the meeting is an initiation process for Shinde. “The very fact that Shinde readily agreed to an all-party meeting is to answer the immediate priority to overcome the FDI muddle without any hiccups and the promise to call the meeting ensured that,” BJP state president Kishan Reddy said.

 “The Congress has so far not declared its own stand on Telangana,” he added. “The BJP stands for separate Telangana.”

“It is the Congress which is giving Telangana, then why should we spell out our stand, our stand is clear,” Congress MP, Ponnam Prabhakar said refuting BJP’s allegations.

Certain groups in Congress prefer setting up of a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC), while others demand a Union territory status for Hyderabad. “Lack of consensus (amongst parties) would make it convenient for Delhi to blame everyone else for not finding a solution to the issue. The  December 28 meeting will end up a failure,” said Nama Nageswara Rao a Telugu Desam Party MP.

He announced that the Telugu Desam Party will favour Telangana and will send only one
representative on behalf of the party president.

Political analyst Devulapalli  Amar said: “The tactics of the Congress seems to be choosing a partner for UPA-3 rather than announcing separate Telangana as either way they will lose in Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema.”

Telangana Congress leaders are attacking Kiran Kumar Reddy for seeking postponement of the all-party meet because it clashes with the World Telugu Conference. However,  the T-JAC, the umbrella organisation of pro-Telangana entities, has decided to step up pressure on the parties such as the TDP, Majlis, CPM, Loksatta, and YSRCP who are yet to declare a clear stand. “They have to announce their stand at least by December 27 before they leave for New Delhi. Till the meeting is over we will organise public meetings as a watch on political parties,” Professor Kodandaram, convener of T-JAC, said.