BJP shoots down Rayala-Telangana proposal

Congress leaders from Telangana region to discuss the turn of events

In yet another twist to the Central government’s reported move in favour of Rayala-Telangana, the BJP has made it clear that it will not support Telangana Bill if it comes up before Parliament in a form other than ten districts of the region.

This is apparently giving anxious moments to the Congress leaders from Telangana region who are now worried over the BJP’s stand in Parliament, in the event of the Congress leadership favouring Rayala-Telangana. They are now planning to convene a meeting to discuss the latest turn and its impact on the introduction of the Bill.

The proposal, they feel, was in sharp contrast to the resolution passed by the CWC, the highest decision-making body of the party, favouring creation of separate Telangana with 10 districts and later approved by the Union Cabinet.

Senior Congress leader and MP V. Hanumanth Rao was the first to express doubts on whether the main Opposition would extend its support to the Bill if it comes in the form of Rayala-Telangana. “The BJP may reject such a Bill altogether,” he said.

BJP State president G. Kishan Reddy confirmed these fears when he said his party would not support the Bill if it was aimed at creating Rayala-Telangana. It was part of the Congress’ plans to delay the introduction of the Bill further. The move also exposes the ruling party’s ‘collusion’ with the MIM to serve its ‘vested interests,’ he observed, after a meeting with the Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samiti president Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday.

The latter had called on Mr. Kishan Reddy to request the BJP not to support the Rayala-Telangana proposal. Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy told Mr. Kishan Reddy that the proposal was a conspiracy to break up Rayalaseema which had a long history and culture of its own. By giving away Kurnool and Anantapur to Telangana and Chittoor and Kadapa to coastal districts, the proposal was aimed at unsettling the people of the region. “They will become aliens in both regions.”

Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud was, however, firm that the Telangana process had reached its climax and there were no indications on the party going back on the CWC resolution that was accepted by the Union Cabinet too. “Rayala-Telangana is a closed chapter,” Mr. Yashki averred. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Rajanarsimha has decided to go to New Delhi again on Monday.

Sources said the Deputy Chief Minister had decided to stay put in the capital this time as the Union Cabinet meeting scheduled later this week was likely to take a call on the report of the Group of Ministers and the draft Bill on Telangana.