New Delhi, July 07: The Union Cabinet will meet today to discuss the Telangana statehood crisis in detail. The Congress Core Committee – which includes the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi – met last evening too and discussed the issue threadbare.
Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana were paralysed for the last two days due a massive 48-hour bandh called by pro-Telangana activists. Yesterday, teargas shells rained all morning at Osmania University in Hyderabad underscoring the political morass that Andhra Pradesh is confronting. The college once again became the staging ground for protests that demand a new state of Telangana be carved out immediately.
A total of 100 MLAs from different parties in Andhra Pradesh have resigned so far, demanding a new state of Telangana. The resignations include 45 from the Congress, 11 from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), 37 from the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and both legislators from Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP).
But Home Minister P Chidambaram has said the bulk resignations have not yet provoked a debate on whether President’s Rule should be considered for Andhra Pradesh. He, however, added that his party is upset about the resignations, and that the Congress hopes to “engage with” its politicians from Telangana region through more discussions in Delhi.
The 48-hour bandh called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee will be followed by student rallies today and rail blockades are planned on Friday and Saturday.
–Agencies–