Congress feels Telangana decision is near

It seems that a concrete decision on quitting their posts might not be taken during the Telangana Congress leaders’ meeting scheduled here on Friday.

The leaders think that the Centre may announce its stand on Telangana statehood by mid-July, ahead of the Parliament session in August.

The Telangana Congress leaders, however, may decide on indefinite fasts and other agitations in the interim to assure the public about their commitment and also to bring pressure on New Delhi.

On Thursday, Telangana Congress leaders, ministers, MPs and legislators held a series of informal meetings both at the Congress Legislature Party office and at the residence of Rajya Sabha member, Mr K. Kesava Rao.

Under pressure to resign from their posts to pressure the Centre, the T-Congress are playing a game of “you first.”

Some MLAs have, in fact, asked the ministers to resign in order to create a crisis.

Incidentally, the Congress general secretary and in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, will be in Hyderabad on Friday.

He has been requested by some Telangana leaders to attend their meeting so that he keeps himself abreast of the situation.

Mr Azad spoke to some Congress MPs from Telangana and enquired about a meeting on Wednesday night, when the TRS chief Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had called on minister Mr Jana Reddy and other leaders.

It is reliably learnt that during the meeting some of the Congress leaders had asked Mr Rao about the status of TRS if the Centre granted Telangana statehood — would it would remain independent or merge with the Congress.

Mr Rao apparently told them that he was ready to merge his party with the Congress once statehood is granted. But if statehood is not granted, all Congress leaders should quit the party and contest either under the TRS banner or under a common political outfit.

The Congress leaders apparently asked Mr Rao to convey the same to the Congress leadership.