The Congress failed to come up with a common report while TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu managed to convince party leaders from Telangana and Seemandhra to agree to a combined strategy of not responding as the deadline for submission of report to the Home Ministry ended on Tuesday.
Congress leaders from the two regions adopted contrasting viewpoints on bifurcation forcing PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana to send two reports to the Home Ministry which has sought the opinion of eight political parties on the terms of reference of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on bifurcation of the State. Congress leaders from Telangana submitted a 100-page report to Mr. Satyanarayana and mailed a copy to the Home Ministry. On the other hand, Seemandhra Congress leaders led by Minister S. Sailajanath handed over a one- page letter addressed to Home Minister S.K.Shinde, opposing the “unilateral action” of the Centre in going ahead with bifurcation of the State. They made it clear that they would stick to their August 3 resolution which demanded that the Centre keep the State united. “It is further requested not to proceed further on the division of the State, which is against the will, desire and demand of the majority people of the State,” the letter added.
Rayala-Telangana proposal
In a related development, Anantapur Congress leaders came out with the demand to include Kurnool and Anantapur in Telangana State and sent a letter accordingly.
Mr. Naidu met the TDP leaders from Telangana and Seemandhra together on Tuesday and elaborately discussed the strategy. Though there were murmurs of protests from Telangana leaders who felt that skipping the GoM meeting may send a wrong signal, he apparently prevailed over them. Similarly, he made Seemandhra leaders agree to a common strategy. Consequently he is writing a strong letter to the Prime Minister highlighting the ham-handed manner in which the Centre was going about with the bifurcation of the State . The TRS has sent a detailed report reiterating its stand, while the YSRC and the CPI(M) have decided not to respond to the Home Ministry’s letter. As for the BJP, though there is no change in its stand on Telangana. The CPI insisted on Telangana with 10 districts and no objection to Hyderabad being common capital for 10 years. The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) has sent a 78-page report and is believed to have expressed concern over the safety of minorities and the status of Hyderabad.
