GoM to discuss Telangana next week

With no amicable resolution to the Telangana issue in sight, a Group of Ministers (GoM) will meet next Wednesday to decide on the Centre’s next step as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy sought extension of the deadline to discuss the issue in the Assembly.

Parliament will reconvene the Winter Session between February 5 and February 21. There would be a scramble to table the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Bill and pass it, enabling bifurcation of the state. The GoM, headed by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, will look into options in case the state Assembly failed to send its view on the bill. The Centre is not bound by the Assembly’s decision. It can go ahead with the legislative process for creation of the new state.

Reddy on Tuesday shot off a letter to the President, seeking extension of the January 30 deadline. On Saturday, he moved a notice seeking the Speaker's permission to move a resolution rejecting the bill and returning it to the Centre.

The President initially gave the Assembly time till January 23 to discuss the bill and return it. But, he extended the deadline by a week though the state government sought a four-week extension.

The Assembly could not function for the past three days. There is only one day left for it to take a call on the matter if the President does not extend the deadline again.

TDP calls for bandh in Seemandhra

Seemandhra legislators of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) called for a bandh in Seemandhra region on Thursday, being the last day for debate on the AP Reorganisation Bill, reports DHNS from Hyderabad.

“The time to prepare for last step of the battle has come, we must be vigilant now,” said TDP MLA Payyavula Kesav.