The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP tells Sonia, KCR to end uncertainty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP tells Sonia, KCR to end uncertainty

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG.14. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, N. Indrasena Reddy, has demanded that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Ministers either resign from the Central and State Cabinets or the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and the TRS leader and Union Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, jointly issue a statement to clear the "confusion" over Statehood for Telangana.

Mr. Indrasena Reddy told reporters here today leaders of the TRS and the Congress were making conflicting statements and "deceiving" people on the issue. The TRS leader had claimed on different occasions that Telangana State would be formed in three to six months. He had also said Ms. Gandhi had given him an assurance to the effect that a bill would be introduced in the winter session of Parliament.

On the other hand, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and other Congress leaders had been maintaining that Ms. Gandhi had not made any promise to the TRS leader and the Congress was committed to the constitution of the second States Re-organisation Commission (SRC). Besides, the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, had denied the claim of Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao that his ministry had readied a draft bill.

Demanding that Mr. Rao clarify the position of the TRS on the decision to revive the Legislative Council, he said the TRS leader had fallen into the trap laid by the Congress. He said "needless confusion'' had been created among the people on the Telangana issue and wanted a joint statement by Ms. Gandhi and K. Chandasekhar Rao to clear the air.

TRS leaders flayed

He criticised the TRS leaders for failing to demand the State Government to celebrate officially Telangana liberation day on September 17 on the lines of a similar event conducted by the Goa Governmnent.

Replying to a question, he said that the ancient structures which were demolished at Tirumala should be restored.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh