Telangana tussle plays out in Parliament, on Delhi streets

CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy says if the state is divided, people in both Telangana and Seemandhra will face lot of problems

Despite the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government’s efforts to resolve the Telangana tangle, the issue rocked both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the extended winter session.

Belying the Congress’s hopes of a reconciliation, Members of Parliament (MPs) from Seemandhra, including party MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, moved a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, opposing bifurcation of the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy held a protest dharna at Jantar Mantar here. Union ministers from Seemandhra who participated in the dharna included Pallam Raju, K Samba Siva Rao, D Purandeswari and Killi Kruparani.

In the evening, the chief minister met President Pranab Mukherjee, urging him to prevent the bifurcation. Speaking to reporters after meeting the president, Reddy said 75-80 per cent of the people in Andhra Pradesh wanted the state to remain united. The will of the people, he claimed, was represented by the state Assembly’s resolution that rejected a bifurcation.

Seeing the faction favouring a united Andhra Pradesh on an overdrive in the capital, legislators from Telangana clashed with Seemandhra supporters in front of Andhra Bhavan here.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party accused the government of “using the din” to introduce crucial legislation such as the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill.

On Tuesday evening, the Congress’s bid to rein in its MPs by holding a meeting of both factions had failed, with the Seemandhra faction telling All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh they were not willing to back down.