Cong. agreed to T demand under duress, say ministers

Srikakulam: Central and State ministers revealed that the Congress party agreed to divide the State only on the basis of a letters sent to the Centre by Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (CPI). The Congress party organised a high level meeting at Indira Vignan Bhavan here on Sunday. On this occasion, the ‘Jai Samaikyandhra’ slogans raised by Central and State ministers from the district, MLAs and MLCs echoed in the hall.

The Congress-backed members who were victorious in the recent Panchayat elections were felicitated on the occasion. Minister of State for Communications and IT Killi Krupa Rani was the chief guest at the meeting with the main agenda Samaikyandhra. Stating that already several ministers, MLAs and MLCs have resigned in favour of Samaikyandhra, she said that it is necessary for them to continue in the Parliament as they would have to vote against the Telangana Bill when it is introduced in the Parliament.

Yet if it is the people’s wish that she should resign and join the agitation then she is willing to do so, she said. Minister for Medical and Health Kondru Murali said that almost all the parties wrote to the Centre expressing their willingness for separate Telangana State. Even the CPM did not object. The YSR CP that is supporting Samaikyandhra now, earlier expressed its respect for the T sentiment, he alleged. Even when opinions from all parties were gathered, they strengthened this view. That is why the Congress government at the Centre was forced to divide the State, he informed. He called upon the activists not to burn effigies of Sonia or desecrate statues of national leaders.

Former minister Dharmana Prasad Rao said that the Bill regarding division of the State has to be passed in the Parliament, ratified by the President and later passed in the Assembly. For this the MLAs would have to stick to their posts, he said. But the decision is provocation by a few, he said.

Demanding a second States Reorganisation Committee (SRC) before the division of the State, he urged the Congress party activists to participate in the agitation.

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) vice president Majji Sarada said that several people who are in responsible positions were behaving as if the State is already divided. There should be clarity on Hyderabad, she demanded.
Later, those who won nominated posts were felicitated.