No appeasement policy, Cabinet expansion not linked to T stir: Ponnam

Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday lashed out at the reports appearing in a section of media that the Congress High Command has adopted an ‘appeasement’ policy to quell the demands for a separate Telangana state by offering Cabinet berths to MPs from the region.

Talking to reporters after emerging out of a meeting convened at MP Komatireddy Rajgopalreddy’s residence in Jubilee hills, Mr Prabhakar stated that the media should not link expansion of the Union Cabinet expansion with Telangana state formation.

“The Cabinet expansion is the prerogative of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He decides on whom to be accommodated and who should be replaced.”

“The Ministerial posts are not important for us and the formation of Telangana state is first priority for Telangana leaders,” he said, reiterating the oft-repeated words of the Congress leaders from the region.

Mr Prabhakar further added that the Telangana leaders would not succumb to the lure of Ministerial berths offered by the High Command and would continue their agitation for the bifurcation of state. These words were in sharp contrast to the statement of Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav who said on Sunday that he would fight for the separate state, preferably as a Union Minister.

The MP stated that the Centre would hold meetings with leaders from Telangana to solve the issue on priority basis.

When pointed out that the post of Advocate General being offered to a person from Telangana region was part of the ‘appeasement’ police, Mr Prabhakar replied that this was a long-pending demand, going back to more than one year. He expressed satisfaction that the government has fulfilled this now. The MP also took care to deny that the post was offered to a candidate from Telangana as part of the appeasement policy.

Reacting on speculative reports that the Congress MPs were getting ready to submit their resignations on the first day of the Budget Session of Parliament, Mr Prabhakar said that the need for resignations would not arise since the Centre would announce Telangana state before the Budget Session commences.    

His words hinted that the MPs are not ready to submit their resignations for the sake of Telangana. The meeting was attended by Komatireddy Rajgopalreddy, G Vivek, Manda Jagannadham, Ponnam Prabhakar, Balram Nayak, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Rajaiah and Suresh Shatkar.

Some MPs did not turn up due to personal problems. However, they sent a message that they will fight unitedly for the Telangana state formation.