“Spell out stand on Telangana”

The Congress may find itself in a bind as at least four parties have decided to insist that the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh first spell out its stand on Telangana at an all-party meeting scheduled in New Delhi for Friday.

They are the Telugu Desam Party, the YSR Congress, the CPI(M) and the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (MIM).

A sense of the Congress’ predicament was evident from its inability to finalise its nominees till the last minute, though the six leaders, who were shortlisted, spent considerable time discussing the issue with AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The Congress made it clear that it would announce its two nominees only on Friday morning.

On the other hand, the TDP said after a meeting of its Polit Bureau that it would reveal its “one opinion” stand in a letter to be presented in a sealed cover to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Apparently, the Congress and the TDP have again decided to keep their cards close to their chests and bare them only after getting a sense of the rival’s move.

Notwithstanding the political intrigue that marked all such meetings in the past, the Congress is bound to face the heat.

This is because TDP Polit Bureau member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and YSR Congress leader M.V. Mysoora Reddy, who will represent their parties at the meeting, made it clear on Thursday that they would corner the ruling party.