Ponnam asks TDP to issue Telangana letter before Sept 30

Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday demanded that the Telugu Desam Party give a letter to the Centre making its stand clear on the Telangana issue before the Telangana March scheduled to be held on September 30.

Talking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party office, Ponnam Prabhakar asked the TDP Telangana Forum members to mount pressure on TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for the letter before the Telangana March. He reminded that the Forum had promised to give letter in the first or second week of September. However, so far there are no signs of Naidu giving a letter on the statehood issue, he said.

Ponnam said that Naidu's delay indicates that he was cheating the people of Telangana region in the name of letter. If the TDP was really committed to the formation of Telangana, then he asked as to why it was resorting to delaying tactics on the issue. He accused the TDP of trying to get mileage on the Telangana issue by following two-eyed theory.

Stating that the Congress leaders from the region were voluntarily participating in the Telangana March and have expressed their solidarity, he asked the TDP leaders to disclose their stand whether they were supporting the March or not. He also rubbished the reports that the March would adversely affect the Hyderabad’s Brand image. He warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government tries to dilute the agitation by resorting to illegal arrests of pro-Telangana leaders and activists.

The Karimnagar MP said that the government and Congress party's image would be affected adversely if it fails to resolve the issue soon.