New Delhi,January 08: Having won breathing time on the Telangana issue, the Congress has begun the process of setting its house in order in Andhra by bringing around rebellious state leaders and restoring a sense of unity in the party.
The leadership has decided to pardon some of the rebels, such as Lok Sabha members Lagadapati Rajagopal and Madhu Goud Yashki, against whom it had threatened disciplinary action.
The leadership has also managed to persuade most of the MPs and MLAs who had threatened to quit or quit on the Telangana issue to take back their resignations. On Thursday, IT minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who had threatened to resign both from the Andhra government and the assembly, took back his threat.
He met Janardan Dwivedi, AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra, and handed over a letter addressed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi explaining the reasons for his emotional decision.
Goud is also expected to submit his explanation.
Satement in TWO days
Home minister P Chidambaram today continued consultations with parties and leaders from Andhra Pradesh on the Telangana issue, triggering expectations that government may come out with a statement in the next few days.
A day after actor-turned politician and Praja Rajyam Party chief Chiranjeevi met Chidambaram, two MLAs of his party from Telangana called on the Minister to tell him they want immediate steps for creation of a separate state.
MLA Maheswar Reddy said Chiranjeevi took a “unilateral” decision by deviating from party election manifesto which had supported a separate Telangana.
A delegation of Congress legislators, including seven MPs, from Telangana met the Home Minister and demanded “time-bound action” for creation of Telangana..
M Jaganatham, MP, said the 30-member delegation, including four Andhra Pradesh Ministers from the region, assured Chidambaram that they would help the authorities in bringing peace and that their agitation would not hamper the normal activities of common people.