AP: Days of reckoning for parties ahead of Telangana meet

Hyderabad: The time of reckoning seems to have arrived for all the political parties, particularly those operating in Telangana and Andhra regions, since they in all probability would have to spell out their stand on the bifurcation of the state at the all-party meet likely to be convened in Delhi soon. While Telangana leaders in these parties are worked up and bringing pressure on their respective leaderships to support the bifurcation, Seemandhra leaders believe that the Centre cannot solve the issue with just one all-party meeting, and that there was no immediate danger to the state being split into two.

According to TDP Telangana leader Motkupalli Narasimhulu, N Chandrababu Naidu has indicated to him that the party would send only one representative to the meeting, implying that it would be a Telangana leader. Naidu had held talks with Seemandhra leaders for over a week in the recent past, but had not come to a decision as to how he could give clarity on the party’s stand on Telagnana without hurting the sentiments of Andhras. “Let us present our opinion at the all party meet,” he is reported to have said which meant that he may not be writing to the Centre spelling out his stand on Telangana.

The other parties, the Congress and YSR Congress, are yet to firm up their stand. PCC president B Satyanarayana said the party leadership may have to take a decision in AICC or at the CWC. An exercise has already been done on the issue, and finally whatever Sonia Gandhi says will be the party’s stand, he said.

The YSR Congress too is caught on the horns of a dilemma now. Said one senior leader who did not want his name to be quoted, “The stand, our leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced on Telangana at the party’s first plenary, stands good even today.” Jagan Mohan Reddy had said that the YSRC had neither the power to deliver Telangana nor could it stop it if the Centre decides to deliver it. When asked how this could be the stand of the party, the YSRC leader said, “We will ask the Congress to take a stand on Telangana first, and may be afterwards we would say that whatever stand the Congress takes would be our stand.”

BJP state president G Kishan Reddy said, “This appears an attempt to water down the T March on Sept 30.”