In a swift damage-control exercise, Telugu Desam President N Chandrababu Naidu today brokered peace between his party MLAs from Telangana and the Telangana TD Forum Convenor Nagam Janardhana Reddy.
Following this, TDP MLAs from Telangana decided to stay away from the Assembly proceedings till March 10 and also take part in the ‘Million March’ agitation on that day for a separate State.
Differences among the Telangana TD Forum members and the convenor erupted in the open right inside the State Assembly yesterday as some MLAs lashed out at Mr. Nagam denouncing his “unilateral functioning.”
An embarrassed Chandrababu Naidu convened a meeting of the Telangana legislators late last night and later deputed a delegation to placate Mr. Nagam.
Senior MLAs S Venugopalachari, R Prakasa Reddy and others held talks till late midnight with Mr. Nagam at his residence and reportedly prevailed upon him to toe the party line on the statehood issue.
Following this, Mr. Nagam met Mr. Chandrababu Naidu in his chambers in the Assembly this morning. Mr. Nagam, who is chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, reportedly expressed his anguish over the remarks made by fellow legislators M Narasimhulu and A Revanth Reddy in particular.
Mr. Chandrababu Naidu tried to pacify Nagam saying everyone became “emotional” yesterday and reportedly advised his agitated colleague to take collective decisions with regard to Telangana agitations.
Mr. Nagam later told newsmen that the Telangana TD Forum would extend support to the ‘Million March’ agitation slated for March 10.
“Till then we have decided not to attend the Assembly,” he said.
Mr. Nagam also urged ministers hailing from Telangana not to attend the House since their fellow legislators from the region were abstaining.
