Rift among Congress leaders of Telangana to the fore

Congress leaders from Telangana decided on Sunday to constitute a broad-based steering committee to take up activities after serious reservations were expressed over the unilateral decisions taken by a few leaders in wake of the Centre’s announcement on statehood.

The meeting, which was convened to chalk out an action plan, initially resolved to undertake bus yatras and organise public meetings in all the Telangana districts but dropped the plan after several leaders faulted the role of former Ministers K. Jana Reddy, Palvai Goverdhan Reddy and R. Damodar Reddy, all from Nalgonda district, in trying to appropriate credit for the Centre’s announcement.

Damage control

The steering committee would include members of all districts to assuage the feelings of some sections that accused a particular community of dominating the scene. Some leaders who made a complete ‘U’ turn and were now championing the cause of Telangana after opposing bifurcation, drew flak. Senior MLA Basavaraj Saraiah, who presided over the meeting, later told reporters that the committee would be constituted immediately in addition to other panels of employees, youth, students, women and minorities.

It was also discussed whether leaders from Telangana could take a cue from their counterparts in Andhra and Rayalaseema, who sunk their political differences to oppose the Centre’s decision. They wanted the party to take all credit without giving scope for Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao to steal the limelight.

Former Ministers K. Jana Reddy, R. Damodar Reddy, Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao and others attended the meeting, while no Ministers from the region were present.