‘T’ Congress MPs stage protest

Six Congress MPs from Telangana, including Ponnam Prabhakar and G. Vivekanand, on Thursday staged protest in the portico of the main building of the Parliament, on the first day of the winter session, seeking immediate tabling of the Bill for formation of a separate Telangana State.

Mr. Prabhakar said they would continue the protest till the government accepted their demands. Sitting on the steps of the portico, the MPs raised slogans in support of Telangana and later moved inside the House to participate in the proceedings.

Other MPs who joined the protests were: Manda Jagannath, Sircilla Rajaiah, Madhu Goud Yakshi and Gutha Sukender Reddy.

Hyderabad Special Correspondent adds:

They said they would continue the protests within the Parliament premises as well as outside till the leadership took a decision on separate Telangana, even if it amounted to defying the party whip.

The MPs, who met at the residence of Nizamabad Member of Parliament Madhu Yaskhi Goud before proceeding to Parliament, discussed the course of action to be adopted to convince the party leadership to take a speedy decision on the issue.

Another MP K. Rajagopal Reddy is expected to join the delegation soon.

Mr. Vivek said the delegation raised the issue in the presence of senior leaders in the previous session and would continue to do so this session too.

Asked about the reports on the MPs leaving the Congress, Dr. Jagannatham said the party leadership did not say no to separate Telangana so far and the MPs were insisting that a decision be taken at the earliest.

“We will continue to mount pressure,” he said.