The central leadership of the Congress on Tuesday reached out to its MPs who had resigned over the Telangana issue, although without offering any concrete assurances, even as more MPs and MLAs of other parties quit their seats to force the Centre to give in to the demand for a separate state.
Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad held discussions with party MPs who had resigned on Monday. While the MPs sought to impress on Azad the “seriousness of the situation in Telangana” that had forced them to quit, there was no assurance forthcoming from the Congress general secretary. Azad also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi later in the day to apprise them of the situation.
Emerging from the meeting with Azad, Nizamabad MP Madhu Goud Yaskhi said while the Centre could hold whatever further consultations it wanted, the process of formation of the separate state has to be initiated in right earnest immediately. These Congress MPs from Telangana were scheduled to meet Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi, late on Tuesday night.
While pressure mounted on the Centre to take a call on the demand, sources said the ruling dispensation would engage all stakeholders in further consultations in a bid to arrive at a consensus before taking a call on this sensitive issue. “It is a sensitive issue. An appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed reiterated.
Earlier in the day, 10 MLAs and two MPs of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), including party chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, resigned from their seats.
On a day when the entire Telangana region observed a total shutdown, TRS MLAs along with two BJP MLAs and four Congress MLAs went to the Assembly and submitted their resignation papers. TRS MLAs led by floor leader E Rajindar handed over their letters to Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature.
The two TDP MPs from Telangana — Nama Nageshwara Rao and Ramesh Rathod — also resigned. With this, the total number of Lok Sabha members resigning for Telangana has gone up to 13.
So far 100 out of 119 Telangana MLAs have resigned. Pro-Telangana groups are demanding that the remaining MLAs — including four of the CPI — also resign immediately. All the resignations would be considered once Speaker N Manohar returns from a trip abroad on July 9.
State Textiles Minister Shankar Rao, who is in the US, also faxed his resignation to the Deputy Speaker, taking the total number of state ministers who have quit to 12. However, Rao only resigned from the Assembly and not from the Cabinet.
The region observed a total shutdown with public and private transport coming to a grinding halt, and schools and colleges, business establishments remaining closed. There was tension at Osmania University when police prevented students from taking out rallies.
Skirmishes between police and pro-Telangana groups were reported from several areas. The groups were demanding resignation of those MLAs who are yet to quit. Workers of the TRS and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) laid siege to the houses of such MLAs calling them traitors.
There was tension in Malkajgiri on the outskirts of Hyderabad when protesters laid siege to the house of Congress MLA Akula Rajender demanding that he resign. Pro-Telangana activists also held demonstrations outside the residence of Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy.
Speaking after submitting the resignation letters, TRS MLA and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao’s son K Taraka Rama Rao said they chose to resign even though there was no demand for them to do so. He said they would welcome President’s rule if imposed in the state as a result of the political crisis arising out of these resignations.