The Union Cabinet on Friday cleared the Bill for the creation of Telangana, paving the way for its introduction in Parliament on February 11 or 12.
The key demands of Seemandhra leaders that Hyderabad be made a Union Territory and Rayala Telangana be created were rejected, putting a question mark on the fate of the Bill in Parliament.
While the Bill as sent by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly would be commended to Parliament for consideration and passage, the government would move 32 official amendments, amplifying some administrative aspects on the bifurcation of the State.
The Bill will be tabled along with a summary of 30-odd pages on the proceedings in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Council, along with a number of amendments proposed by the State legislators.
With the Cabinet’s clearance, UPA managers are now faced with the challenge to get Congress MPs from Seemandhra on board. As things stand now, there is little chance that they will cooperate in its passage. The determination of Seemandhra MPs to stall the move was evident as Parliament was paralysed for the third consecutive day on Friday. A senior Minister told The Hindu, “In effect, no big changes were made to the original Bill. One of the amendments proposed is to include the villages that would be submerged on account of the Polavaram project in Seemandhra.”
