Hyderabad, March 06: Telangana Congress leaders, who include ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs, yesterday decided to intensify building pressure on the party high command to get a favourable statement on the statehood demand.
Towards that goal the Telangana ministers decided to meet party chief Sonia Gandhi before March 12. Till then, the MLAs and MLCs will continue to boycott the Assembly and Council sessions. In case of an unfavourable response from the high command, they will not hesitate to quit their posts for the Telangana cause.
At a meeting, which lasted four long hours, the party’s public representatives from the region agreed to take collective decisions on resignations, agitation and other related matters.
Telangana ministers decided to go to Delhi before March 12 to meet Sonia Gandhi after getting an appointment with her.
They will try to explain to the party leadership the ‘ground reality’ in the region and seek a ‘clear-cut statement’ on Telangana.
If no assurance comes from the high command, the ministers will come back to the state capital and hold another meeting with all concerned before submitting their resignations.
As done by Jupalli Krishna Rao, they decided to submit their resignation letters first to Sonia Gandhi. They wanted the party leadership not to defer a decision on Telangana on the pretext of preoccupation with the forthcoming elections in five states.
The meeting discussed the protests staged by MPs in Parliament, Jupalli Krishna Rao’s resignation from the cabinet, boycott of the Assembly and Council, employees’ non-cooperation movement, prevailing situation, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao and other Seemandhra leaders’ comments on Telangana leaders, KCR’s and TJAC’s activities.
Talking to newsmen later, Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao asserted that there would be no compromise or going back on the statehood demand.
“We decided to act with unity. The phase of discussions is over and the time has come for concrete action to achieve the goal. We cannot stop our protests. We will review the situation from time to time,” he said.
R Damodar Reddy, MLA, said Telangana MLAs and MLCs would boycott the legislature sessions till March 12. In the meantime, the Telangana ministers will visit Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi.
They will submit their resignations to her if there is no specific assurance or response on Telangana. “We will not obstruct other programmes meant for T cause. We will support the Million March on March 10,” he said.
Except for ministers P Shankar Rao, M Mukesh Goud, D Nagender and Damodar Rajanarsimha, and MLA Konda Surekha and others from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, a majority of the party’s Telangana leaders attended the meeting. Besides Ministers and MPs, government chief whip M Bhatti Vikramarka, several MLAs and MLCs who include G Venkataramana Reddy, T Rajaiah, D Sudhir Reddy, Jagga Reddy, Jayasudha
T-agri officials to go on one-day fast today Hyderabad:
Telangana agricultural officials and farmers from across the region will converge in Hyderabad tomorrow for a one-day fast at Indira Park to press the government to introduce a T-bill in Parliament. Being organised by the Telangana Agri Doctors’ Association (agricultural officials are also called agri doctors), the protest is expected to see the participation of ministers, MLAs and leaders from various political parties from the region besides activists of many T-associations. Posters on the programme were released in the presence of TRS legislator KT Rama Rao and Congress MP Madhu Yashki at a press meet held here today. Addressing mediapersons, KT Rama Rao said almost all sections of people joined the T-struggle except some politicians. “If they too join the cause and work in coordination with the other sections, then a Telangana state will materialise very soon,” he said.
–Agencies