The Centre is said to be serious on defiant Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is upping the ante against the State bifurcation. The Centre has been time and again telling that it is for the division of the State and will keep the promise on statehood to Telangana.
UPA Chief Sonia Gandhi was categorical that there will not be any legal tangle to form the State of Telangana. Despite any sort of hurdles coming in the way from Kiran Kumar Reddy and Seemandhra leaders, Parliament will pass the bill in the winter session, she is understood to have stated. According to informed sources, Sonia and AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi are unhappy with Kiran’s adamant attitude of defying them. Thus, the Centre has reiterated its stance on State bifurcation and set aside the arguments of Kiran and Seemandhra leaders.
Apparently to allay fears of Telangana leaders, who are jubilant, AICC leader Digvijay Singh today condemned Kiran Kumar Reddy’s defiance against the high command and the Centre with regard to bifurcation of the State. Talking to the media, Digvijay expressed discontent and sought to know why neither the Chief Minister nor senior Seemandhra leaders raised the issue before Congress Working Committee or Group of Ministers which have taken a decision in favor of Telangana. He was categorical in his remark that Kiran Kumar Reddy or Seemandhra leaders failed to bring the issue to the notice of the Centre when it was taking a decision in favor of bifurcation of the State. At this juncture of Assembly completing the debate process, the Centre took legal and administrative procedures, he said. Raising the pitch now is of no use as the Centre was firm on its decision of bifurcation of the State.
Digvijay Singh rubbished the pressure built by Kiran to reject the bill through a resolution in Assembly will not have any impact on the Centre. He refuted the charge that the Centre ignored the plight of Seemandhra people. The Centre, he said, will provide total security to Seemandhra people in Hyderabad besides addressing their demands and do justice to all. The Centre roped him in the State capital to set the issue right in the wake Assembly passing the resolution of Rajya Sabha elections and resolution passed rejecting the bill in the Assembly. The Union Government will invoke Article 3 to divide the State as there was no legal tangle, he maintained. Any resolution, views coming from the Assembly will not be construed as binding on the Centre, he clarified. He clarified that the Centre was firm on implementing the decision taken by Congress Working Committee. He reiterated that the winter session of Parliament will pass the bill and no hurdles come in the way.
It is pertinent to note that the Group of Ministers will take a final call on Telangana on February 4 and refer it to the Cabinet for final nod on making some suggestions, amendments sought by members of various political parties. Then the bill will be introduced in Parliament in the second week. While Rajya Sabha elections will be completed on February 7, the Centre is mulling options to introduce it on the same day. According to information, the Centre has decided to introduce the bill on February 14, if it cannot do so on February 8. (NSS)