T issue takes centre stage during Azad's meetings with Legislators

Congress Legislators from Telangana Sought to mount pressure on the Centre over the separate statehood demand during their meeting with party In-Charge for Andhra Pradesh Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday.

MLAs and MPs from the region told Mr Azad that they would settle for nothing less than a separate state and sought a favourable decision by the Centre by June 15.

Talking to media persons at the Gandhi Bhavan, senior MLA Damodar Reddy said that the MLAs made it clear to Mr Azad that they would not be satisfied till a favourable decision is announced.

However, the MPs who met the High Command’s representative said that they were keen on an announcement by June 1.

Meanwhile, Legislators from the Seemandhra regions too met Mr Azad over the contentious issue.

Mr Damodar Reddy said that the MLAs reminded Mr Azad that earlier assurances on the demand have been broken.

Minister Basavaraju Saraiah reminded that after the famous December 9, 2009 statement on the issue by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, there is no turning back from the Congress.

He said that the Centre has no option but to carve out Telangana or else face the wrath of the people. Mr Saraiah added that since that famous statement, the repeated assurances given on the issue have been broken and warned that a decision cannot be delayed further.

Congress leader Yadav Reddy said that the Legislators would be unable to convince the people that the party was sincere in its stand on the separate statehood demand unless something concrete is done.

“We hope that the Centre realises our predicament and take a favourable decision by June 15,” he said.

Meanwhile, Legislators from Seemandhra regions also met Mr Azad to push for their demand that the state remains integrated.

Senior MLA J Ramesh told media persons that the Seemandhra MLAs have made it clear that an Integrated Andhra Pradesh was the most advisable option for the future of the Congress party.

“The state must remain integrated if the party is to have any chances of coming back to power in 2014 General Elections,” Mr Ramesh said.

Mr Azad had on Monday confabulated with party functionaries.