The Telangana crisis can no longer be wished away by the Congress. One of its senior leaders from Andhra Pradesh, K Keshava Rao, on Sunday found common cause with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition, and lambasted the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for not delivering on its promise of statehood to Telengana.
At a meeting in the capital on the Telangana issue, Keshava Rao targeted Chidambaram saying, “If the Congress did not want to give Telangana then why did Mr Chidambaram announce on December 9, 2009 that the steps for formation of Telangana would be initiated? The words of the Home Minister should carry some weight”.
A hasty Home Minister P Chidambaram had on December 9, 2009, announced steps for the formation of Telangana state would be initiated. BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the UPA of retracting on the commitment in the Common Minimum Programme of UPA-1 of granting statehood to Telengana. Prasad said, “Please do not play with the sentiments of the people.”
Reacting to the rebellious stand taken by her party colleague, Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary said, she was “disappointed” by his stance. “He is a senior leader from the state and he is perfectly aware of the ongoing efforts being taken by Ghulam Nabi Azad ji who is involved in talks and discussions with the stakeholders. For him to try an pre-empt this at this juncture is not done,” she added.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP she said, “And the BJP is so desperate to try and get in anywhere and oppose us that it has butted in here as well. Please be assured that the Congress has taken up the matter with the utmost seriousness.”
Despite the Congress attacking all those who join forces with the pro- Telengana stir, the party has to cognisance of the problem sooner rather late as frequent calls for strikes and ‘rail roko’ are paralyzing the state.
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Ravi Shankar Prasad lost no opportunity in attacking the Congress which heads the government at the Centre and in the state.“Let your party bring the bill relating to Telangana in Parliament. We will fully support it without any compromise. We have committed for a Telangana state. BJP always stands by its commitment. If at all we come to power we will deliver on Telangana”, Prasad told Rao.
Congress senior leaders however maintain that it is not possible to come to a decision when violence and agitations are holding the state ransom. “It has to be worked out through discussions and negotiations,” said a senior Congress functionary.