Amid assertion by a couple of Ministers that they may not attend the dharna programme on Tuesday, Seemandhra Congress leaders began to reach New Delhi to protest CWC decision to divide the State.
There is a growing speculation that some Ministers may skip the programme claiming that they will abide by whatever decision the high command takes on the bifurcation issue. A large delegation of Seemandhra Congress Ministers and legislators would join the protest against bifurcation at Jantar Mantar.
As the arrangements were underway for the programme, Minister for Rural Development Dokka Manikya Varaprasad said that though he would be in New Delhi, he was not participating in the dharna. The PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana also said he was not going to Delhi.
Sources said that some Ministers were reluctant to attend the programme fearing that the high command may not take kindly to their presence after a categorical decision was taken in favour of division. A senior Minister actively involved in chalking out future course of action said that nothing short of 60 leaders including at least a dozen Ministers were expected to turn up for the protest demonstration.
“Our main focus is to highlight the strong opposition to division prevailing in Seemandhra region. We will not meet the A.K. Antony Committee in New Delhi. We will certainly air our concerns when the panel visits Hyderabad,” the Minister said.
Antony panel
Meanwhile, it is understood that the A.K. Antony Committee would start its work from Tuesday. The panel is likely to hold its first meeting with the members. It is expected that the members may interact with the Union Ministers in New Delhi itself as the Parliament session is on.The PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana said that the panel would certainly visit Hyderabad to talk to the stake holders. “Whenever the committee comes, the Seemandhra Ministers and legislators will meet them separately. The Telangana Congress leaders can also meet the panel members,” he said. He said that delegations of the employees, students and other organisations can meet the panel members in Hyderabad if they seek appointment by sending text message to mobile number 9581141230.
Two Ministers quit
Ahead of the Delhi visit, Minister for Health Kondru Murali Mohan and Minister for Forests and Environment Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju met the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and handed over their resignation letters. This takes the number of Ministers who put in their papers to 11, in support of united Andhra Pradesh. The Ministers said that the political parties, which had given letters in support of division, should withdraw them. They claimed that the decision to resign was taken keeping in view the public mood. “We want to support the people’s cause,” they said.
