Hyderabad, February 14: The air is thick with anticipation that the Centre may make an announcement, though not on Telangana as such, but on issues related to Telangana. For instance, it might make it clear that Hyderabad is part of Zone VI or declare something else on some other issue which is emotionally linked to T. An instruction to the state government to pass a resolution in the Assembly urging the Centre to do the obvious – take a decision on the Srikrishna Committee report, without going into the options – is also not being ruled out.
With the TRS-backed TJAC busy preparing for the non-cooperation movement from Feb 17, the Telangana Congress leaders are caught between the devil and the deep sea. If they take part in it, it would be construed as going against the party line; and if they do not, they stand the risk of being dubbed as Telangana betrayers.
As the D-day is fast approaching, the Telangana Congress leaders are hoping that the Centre will make some announcement on Telangana so that they have some ground to tell the people that the Congress is not against formation of a T state.
For some reason, the TJAC leaders are also believing that some kind of announcement might come from Delhi. If such a statement comes, the TJAC, according to sources, is willing to defer the non-cooperation movement for the time being and plan its future course of action.
The government claims that the TJAC has promised to cooperate with the government when it comes to implementation of welfare schemes, provided there is a request from the people on this count.
The state government, on its part, is not thinking of crushing the non-cooperation movement since the TJAC has already assured it that it would exempt from the purview of the agitation essential services like water supply, municipal activity and health. The Congress leaders, meanwhile, are trying to get an appointment with Sonia Gandhi to narrate their plight. The Telangana MLAs have decided to go to Delhi tomorrow and wait for her appointment while Telangana ministers are planning to land in Delhi the day after tomorrow. The MPs too are seeking time with Sonia Gandhi to explain to her how urgent it is for the Centre to intervene.
–Agencies