Differences along regional lines came into the open again in the Telugu Desam on Friday with leaders from Telangana and Andhra/ Rayalaseema quibbling over Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Addressing separate press conferences, TDP Polit Bureau member K. Yerran Naidu nearly toed the Union Minister's reported line that a consensus was required for formation of separate Telangana, senior leaders of Telangana, Nagam Janardhan Reddy and Kadiam Srihari reminded Mr. Naidu that it was on advice of the panel headed by him that the party took a pro-Telangana stand.
Responding to a question, Mr. Yerran Naidu said the formation of separate State was a myth now and claimed that Srikrishna Committee's terms of reference too mentioned about consensus.
Criticising Mr. Yerran Naidu, the two senior TDP leaders from Telangana wanted him to refer to what he had written as head of the panel after seeking the views of all sections of leaders.
Criticising the Union Home Minister, they accused him of rendering the Srikrishna Committee redundant by his comment on consensus and that the solution was in Andhra Pradesh and not in New Delhi.
By such utterances, the Minister was virtually setting the agenda for the Srikrishna Committee, oblivious to the sentiment of the people of Telangana. They questioned the need for evolving consensus for creation of a separate Telangana when Andhra Pradesh itself was formed in 1956 without any unanimity. More importantly there was no mention of finding out such consensus in the terms of reference of the panel.
