The BJP is committed to formation of Telangana State as a matter of policy but it could not jump to a conclusion at this stage as to what stand it should take when the Bill comes to Parliament as it was mired in uncertainty.
The ruling party itself is not sure whether Telangana Bill will be tabled in the ensuing Parliament session, in its present draft form which plunged the State Legislature into chaos.
Besides, there are reports quoting Jairam Ramesh as having dropped a hint at the Group of Ministers having yet another round of discussion on the ‘opinion’ that emerges from the State Legislature.
As a concept, the BJP maintains a consistent stand that Telangana State should be created but it was not in a position to say whether its reply would be an emphatic yes or no if at all the Bill comes for voting in Parliament. The BJP will not at any cost allow injustice to be meted to people of Seemandhra, Mr. Muralidhar Rao said.
Addressing media persons here on Monday, Mr. Muralidhar Rao said the ‘BJP is in favour of small States’ theory was wrong notwithstanding the fact that it formed three States (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand) during the NDA regime.
People's viewsThe BJP has only articulated the people’s views there but did not arouse their sentiments for political gains, unlike in Andhra Pradesh where the situation was messed up by the ruling party.
The UPA-II could not afford to divide the State without addressing the legitimate concerns raised by people of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
“The BJP is as firm that justice should be done to Seemandhra as it is committed to formation of the new State,” Mr. Muralidhar Rao added.
Party leaders D. Umamaheswara Raju, Yerneni Sitadevi, V. Srinivasa Raju and others were present.
