Crucial Congress meet on Telangana today,odds stacked against bifurcation

Defence Minister A K Antony and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde,who are members of the Core Group,are said to have reservation against the bifurcation of the state. Antony,said sources,has been arguing at Core Group meets that creation of Telangana would lead to the revival of Naxalism in the region.

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Shinde,on the other hand,was learnt to have apprised the party leadership that creation of Telangana would stoke trouble in Gorkhaland and Bodoland,although it may not have much impact in Vidarbha.

Nothing less than Telangana state acceptable to us: TRS

Assam CM Tarun Gogoi,however,said,“I have no reservation against statehood for Telangana. They (party high command) will decide… it has nothing to do with Bodoland.”

As per party sources,AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Digvijaya Singh,who submitted a report to Congress president Sonia Gandhi after extensive consultations with state leaders,is in favour of united Andhra,although he has not committed himself to either side of the debate on public fora.

His predecessor,Ghulam Nabi Azad,who had held several rounds of consultations with stakeholders,had earlier submitted a report to Sonia in which he was said to have drawn out the pros and cons of bifurcating the state. Azad’s report was said to be equivocal quoting Srikrishna Committee’s conclusion about united Andhra being the “best option” and,in the same vein,maintaining that there were strong “sentiments” in favour of Telangana.

Both Singh and Azad are likely to be invited to the meeting. Among the other invitees — CM Kiran Kumar Reddy,his deputy Damodar Raja Narasimha and state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana — only the Deputy CM is likely to speak for Telangana statehood.

Given the views of these leaders who would attend the meeting,the prospects of a separate Telangana state do not look very bright,although party sources said these views would serve as feedback only and it is for PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia to take a final call.

Sources said the Congress leadership,which was earlier inclined to bifurcate the state expecting to reap political harvest in Telangana,was doing a re-think with a section of leaders arguing that the creation of Chhattisgarh,Uttarakhand and Jharkhand had not necessarily benefitted the “creators” in subsequent Assembly elections after the reorganisation of states in 2000. The Congress leadership was also said to have received “feedback” that the BJP will stand to gain in Telangana if it is made a separate state.

But state leaders still hopeful

HYDERABAD: Expectations are high in Telangana ahead of the Congress Core Committee meeting. Though Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said on Wednesday that it may take some time,Telangana leaders are enthused by the fact that the Congress top brass will exclusively meet to discuss roadmaps submitted by state leaders on the separate state demand. “This is the first time the Congress has given an indication of working on the issue. The meeting raises our hopes,we expect a positive outcome. The Congress will have to say what was discussed and what it intends to do now. It may reach a conclusion,” said Telangana Joint Action Committee chairman M Kodandaram,adding that the party may not make an announcement straightaway,instead allow the state government to do the work. “The Congress is in the process of making up its mind,that is a step forward. Different opinions may be expressed in support or against Telangana,Rayala Telangana,united Andhra,” said TRS MLA K T Rama Rao.

Sreenivas Janyala

FOR & AGAINST

Antony feels statehood would lead to revival of Naxalism

Shinde says statehood will stoke trouble in Gorkhaland,Bodoland

Digvijaya favours united Andhra

AMONG OTHERs: Deputy CM Damodar Raja Narasimha in favour of statehood,state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana for united AP