AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Digvijay Singh on Tuesday said that it was for the Union Home Ministry to take a call on whether Telangana resolution or a draft Bill should be sent to the State legislature.
“It all depends on the Home Ministry. After all, they should decide looking into the precedents, legal requirements and constitutional provisions under which the new State is being created,” he told media persons in Delhi. By once again keeping the options open, Mr. Singh has only added confusion that began ten days ago when Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy took up the issue of “conflicting statements”’ by him ( Mr. Singh) and the Union Home Minister, S. K. Shinde, with the high command.
Seemandhra Congress leaders too have been pointing out how Mr. Singh spoke in turns, about Telangana resolution a day, a draft Bill on the other day and then on the third day, says he needs to get the issue clarified from the Home Ministry “after seeking an appointment with Mr. Shinde.”
But is it resolution or the draft Bill? There is no clarity yet as Mr. Shinde had stuck to his stand that what is being sent to the Assembly is a draft Bill. During his monthly briefing he had said that the Bill is being prepared based on the recommendations and suggestions from the Group of Ministers. It is then approved by the Union Cabinet and sent to the President with its recommendation that it be referred to the State legislature for its views to be submitted in 30 days.
Confusing scenario
Yet several days after Mr. Shinde’s assertion, Mr. Singh had been harping on resolution leaving the Chief Minister and the people of the State confused. AICC spokesman Sandeep Dixit too took Mr. Shinde’s line on Monday when he spoke of the preparation of draft Bill solely based on the report of the GoM. Reacting to Mr. Kiran Reddy’’s contention that he would stop “bifurcation cyclone,” he went on to say that no Chief Minister had the power to stop creation of a new State as it was the exclusive prerogative of Parliament.
Following such contrasting views, Mr. Kiran Reddy confronted Mr. Singh directly on October 11. He reminded him that it was on his assurance of resolution coming before the Assembly twice that he was able to convince the Seemandhra employees to call off their strike. Supporters of Mr. Reddy even attributed his strident posturing of late to the way the high command has let him and the people down by sending conflicting signals.
