After a month-long lull in their activities, three Congress MPs from Telangana on Sunday set a final deadline to the party leadership to announce a separate State and dropped hints that they were not averse to joining the TRS after May 30.
Congress MPs – G. Vivekanand (Peddapalli), Manda Jagannath (Nagarkurnool) and S. Rajaiah (Warangal) along with former CWC member K. Keshava Rao at a meeting at the residence of the Peddapalli MP sent clear signals that in the event of Centre going back on its promise, they may not stay in the ruling party.
Dr. Manda Jaganath told reporters after the meeting that they have indeed set a deadline to the high command. “We want the high command to spell out its stand on the statehood issue before May 30. Otherwise, we will not hesitate to quit the Congress,” he said.
The three MPs feel time was running out for them as the TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao had started naming candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. They believe that the high command was only buying time and not serious about the statehood issue. In such a situation, they felt that continuing in the Congress was risky and counter productive.
Party sources said with pressure mounting from the TRS chief, the three MPs reportedly made up their mind to join the TRS before June 3 to assure themselves of their place in the party and tickets in the next elections.
RS seat sought for KK
The TRS idea is to pip the BJP as former Minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy is planning a big show while joining the saffron party on June 3. The MPs plan to request KCR to make a public announcement that Mr. Keshava Rao would be made member of Rajya Sabha after the next elections.
Sources said Warangal MP reportedly lost his cool at the meeting and confronted Mr. Keshava Rao for dissuading him from joining TRS. At one stage, Mr. Rajaiah reportedly said that he would have joined the TRS in April itself but stayed back on Mr. Keshava Rao advice. “You stopped me from joining TRS. See what has happened, KCR has admitted Kadiam Srihari into the TRS and announced him as the candidate from Warangal parliamentary constituency,” he was quoted as telling Mr. Rao in an agitated tone.
