Parties in a tizzy over all-party meeting

Home Ministry’s letter seeking views from eight political parties on issues of bifurcation being studied by GoM

Congress and Telugu Desam parties plunged into confusion once again a day after receiving the Home Ministry’s letter seeking views from eight political parties on issues of bifurcation being studied by Group of Ministers and on the Centre’s proposal to hold an all-party meeting.

Both these parties appeared vertically split as ever with Telangana leaders seeing nothing wrong in responding to the letter and attending the all-party meeting while those from Seemandhra expressing reservations.

Telangana Congress leaders feel whoever attended the meeting would have to abide by the CWC decision supporting bifurcation as only one representative would be invited to present his views from each party unlike the previous meetings.

There is speculation that PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana may be asked to attend this meeting.

On the other hand, Minister for School Education S. Sailajanath made light of the meeting and quite emphatically said no report would be submitted to the GoM.

The PCC chief may convene a meeting of the leaders of three regions after Deepavali on preparing a report.

Faced with similar sharply divided views, leaders of Telugu Desam are even mulling staying away from the meeting.

Consequently, it may not send its response to the Home Ministry’s letter but a final decision would be taken at a meeting of leaders of two regions to be convened by party president N. Chandrababu Naidu on his return from flood-affected areas on Saturday.

But those who have stuck to their stand favouring bifurcation such as TRS, BJP and CPI have decided to respond to the letter and attend the all-party meeting.

The YSR Congress which went back on its commitment to Telangana has decided not to respond to the letter, but attend the meeting and pitch for the Samaikyandhra movement.

B. Vinod Kumar, polit bureau member of TRS, said the party was preparing a detailed report to be submitted to the GoM in accordance with its terms of reference.

It would attend the meeting to press on its demand for a separate Telangana with ten districts and Hyderabad as capital without any conditions.

State BJP president G. Kishan Reddy said it would indeed respond to the letter and would insist on security to people, package for development of all backward areas and the need to follow well laid-out conventions.