Hyderabad, December 30: In a move clearly intended to avoid a major embarrassment, Chief Minister K Rosaiah has deferred the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday after all the ministers from Telangana announced that they would not attend it.
Rosaiah cited bandh called by pro- Telangana parties on Wednesday as the reason for postponing the Cabinet meeting but that it was just a ruse was evident.
After elaborate discussions throughout the day at a resort on the city outskirts, ministers from Telangana declared that they remained firm on their decision not to attend the Cabinet meeting or take up any official work unless a categorical statement was made by the Centre on creation of a separate State within a specified time-frame.
Apparently on the advice of Delhi, Rosaiah called off the Cabinet meeting to avoid a friction and give some more time to the Centre to come up with a solution. As far as the ministers’ resignations are concerned, Rosaiah said he had not received them. The Central leadership, meanwhile, continued its deliberations on the Telangana tangle and is expected to come out with a third statement in the next few days. The issue figured at a meeting of the core committee and the Congress is also engaged in talks with allies on how to move forward.
Unlike the first two statements, which were terse, the Union Government is said to be planning a more detailed approach on the Telangana statehood demand which would satisfy the people of the region and at the same time, provides some cushion to those from Coastal and Rayalaseema.
The administration, meanwhile, is bracing to handle the situation arising out of the bandh with almost all parties backing it. It is expected to be near total and the RTC has already suspended long distance bus services to different places.
Railways too has cancelled some trains.
Congress leaders from the Telangana region, who had a day-long meeting, finally decided to take the agitation forward while being a part of the Joint Action Committee, which also has the TRS and the Telugu Desam.
–Agencies