Hyderabad, January 14: Apprehending that they are being `cornered’ by the TDP and the TRS on the resignations issue, the Telangana Congress MLAs are planning to float a separate forum for T cause. They intend to place their proposal before the Telangana JAC.
Fearing that they would be suspended from the party for failure to withdraw their resignations to the MLA and MLC posts even after an appeal by the Congress Central leadership, the Telangana Congress MLAs, it is learnt, will start bringing pressure on public representatives of other parties of the Telangana JAC to quit their respective parties and join the proposed Telangana forum. They are of the view that the leaders or public representatives who will become `Forum’ members can again get elected in elections (in Telangana State) with full support from the people of the region.
“The need of the hour is that we (forum members) all should be united till Telangana State is achieved. People will definitely elect those who strive for the cause. There should be a condition that all the Telangana leaders who become forum members should not leave the forum for at least 15 to 20 years, but later could join other political parties of their choice. After Telangana formation, the forum should first concentrate on development of the region,’’ a senior leader said at a brain-storming session held by several senior Telangana Congress MLAs and MLCs.
Another senior leader expressed doubts about the political future of the ruling party MLAs and MLCs for failure to withdraw their resignations and for taking a decision to fight against the party high command on Telangana issue. “ We (Telangana Congress public representatives) should not fall in the trap of other political parties. We should first make efforts to convince the high command. Constitutional and political crisis will arise in the State if we insist for acceptance of our resignations. What about our future if the Congress lose power in the State. We should be ready to face party suspension by the high command. We alone should not become the victims, but want other party MLAs and MLCs also to quit their respective political parties for Telangana cause,’’ he observed.
Another leader opined that the statement (at all party meeting on January 5) made by Union home minister P Chidambaram in having `road map and mechanism’ on Telangana issue, indicates that the statement is favourable towards Telangana State. At this juncture, it is not proper to embarass the party high command by not withdrawing the resignations. Instead, there is a need to convince the high command in getting a `clear cut, including time frame’ statement on Telangana, he felt.
—Agencies