Congress leaders from Telangana have asked AP Congress Committee president Botcha Satyanarayana to submit a single report to the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the Central Government on State bifurcation.
Ministers, MPs and others from the region met the PCC chief in a delegation on Monday and asked him to ensure that his report to the GoM was in line with the decision of the CWC and the Union Cabinet on Telangana. Mr. Satyanarayana told them that he would take a decision on Tuesday after eliciting the views of Seemandhra party representatives too.
‘Sensitive issue’
During the two-hour-long meeting, some Telangana leaders reportedly criticised Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for his decision to meet Seemandhra representatives but not Telangana leaders. The PCC chief, who circulated copes of the Home Ministry’s letter to the members ,explained the developments in New Delhi ever since the CWC gave its green signal for bifurcation of the State. “This is a sensitive issue. We have decided to meet leaders of two regions separately as they are representing the aspirations of the people of their respective regions,” Mr. Satyanarayana told reporters. Ten Ministers, MPs and former PCC president D. Srinivas were among those present at the meeting.
The Telangana leaders later met at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Rajnarsimha to discuss about the report that should be submitted to the GoM incorporating suggestions relating to the terms of reference. The report, to be submitted to PCC president on Tuesday, would include a request for Central assistance in developing power infrastructure in Telangana.
Panchayat Raj Minister K. Jana Reddy said the decision on Telangana was already made by the party leadership and all the Congress leaders should abide by it. The meeting felt that the Centre should take the initiative to allay apprehensions of Seemandhra people and incorporate necessary safeguards in the Bill that would be presented before Parliament, he said.
