Tension was prevailing among leaders on the time extension for debate on Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Bill 2013. Since the ball is now thrown into the President’s court, they are all awaiting his reply. It is said that he may take any decision for or against only after consulting AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi, deputy Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister, with inputs from AICC state in-charge Digvijay Singh. Even as a series of letters were being shot to President Pranab Mukherjee for and against the extension of time for continuing debate on Telangana Draft Bill, Union Home Ministry is understood to have forwarded them to President for taking a decision. According to information the Home Ministry is said to have recommended for about 10 days of extension, while Seemandhra leaders including Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy sought one month time for debate. Keeping in view the Rajya Sabha elections in February first week, the Centre may give one or two weeks time which will not hinder the bifurcation process. Seemandhra Leaders of various parties in the Assembly lobbies feel that the President may give some more time, while their Telangana peers repeatedly urged the President not to extend the time. Since the extension is to stall the bifurcation process out of a conspiracy by the Seemandhra leaders, the President has to deny more time plea, they urged. If 10 days time extended for the debate the process will not get hindered, sources said. The parliament will continue its proceedings to pass the bill for giving statehood, the T protagonists feel.
Another argument is that the center is well aware of Seemandhra conspiracies against the bifurcation and will not budge to their pressure. So the President in all likelihood will deny extension of time for debate, sources said.(NSS)
