AICC secretary R.C. Khuntia said that the Telangana formation process should not be stopped in spite of the efforts by a section of leaders to create obstacles.
Mr. Khuntia said the Congress leadership has taken a decision on bifurcation and it should go ahead with it irrespective of whether the State Legislature passes the draft A.P. Reorganisation Bill referred to it by the President Pranab Mukherjee.
He was addressing a public meeting at Amangal in the district organised as part of the yatra undertaken by party senior leader V. Hanumanth Rao. The AICC representative accompanied Mr. Hanumanth Rao and other senior leaders after flagging off the yatra at Kadtal on Thursday morning.
Mr. Rao criticised the Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress for taking a U-turn on the bifurcation issue after giving their consent initially.
He recalled that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had promised formation of a separate State in the party’s 2004 manifesto and had kept her word in spite of pressure mounted by some leaders including Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. He was critical of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s campaign against Ms. Gandhi.
Kiran aiming to get mileageOn the Chief Minister divesting Minister D. Sridhar Babu of his Legislative Affairs portfolio, he alleged that Mr. Kiran Reddy was planning to get mileage in Rayalaseema region by his actions.
Mr. Sridhar Babu, who was also present, said the draft had been referred to the Legislature for its views and the final decision would be taken by the Parliament.
Ministers K. Jana Reddy and B. Saraiah assured the gathering that the Congress was committed to its decision and Telangana State would be a reality soon.
