New Delhi, January 27: Eager not to be caught in a crossfire from rival groups if Telangana issue erupts again on January 28, the deadline given by Joint Action Committee for follow-up action on statehood, Congress has decided to shun rival lobbies from Andhra Pradesh.
The party has asked its legislators from Telangana and Andhra not to rush to the central leadership for lobbying. The decision came a day after four Telangana leaders urged the Centre to move on the issue of bifurcation.
Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao, Lok Sabha MP G Vivekanand and MLAs Jana Reddy and Damodar Reddy on Monday evening met Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi, to explain the situation in the troubled region and seek early action.
While there are indications that a mechanism to follow up on the all-party consultations of January 5 may be announced shortly, Congress made it plain that regional lobbies from AP should not come to the leadership in the hope of influencing it. CWC incharge Veerappa Moily issued a statement to convey the leadership’s views.
MLAs from Telangana were set to come to Delhi on Tuesday but gave up after the meeting of three Telangana leaders with Patel.
Congress feels that visits by one group of partymen provokes the other, leading to intense lobbying. The party has not been able to make up its mind on how to exit the mess it has landed into since announcing the process of statehood for Telangana on December 9. The all-party meeting too yielded little result and any mechanism now seems more a device to buy time.
For Congress MLAs and MPs from Telangana, it is proving a tough test as they have to contend with the volatile local sentiment. The Joint Action Committee which comprises political outfits as well as activists and students has set a deadline of January 28 for the Centre to take the next step on statehood, failing which the elected representatives should resign from legislatures.
The deadline has put Congressmen under pressure but Centre’s decision against taking a hasty step has forced them to break away from JAC. It, however, comes at the risk of being seen as deserting the popular mood. Their sticking to their positions in contrast to a spate of suicides and continued agitation is making them appear “insensitive” in the eyes of the local populace, the leaders argue.
-Agencies