The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fiat to Congressmen on Telangana

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Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fiat to Congressmen on Telangana

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 14. Concerned at the escalating war of words between State Congress leaders and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the party central leadership today directed the party members in Andhra Pradesh to refrain from making statements with regard to Telangana.

The AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs, Digivjay Singh, asked the Pradesh Congress Committee and direct party members in the State not to issue any statements about Telangana, an issue that would be addressed directly by the party high command.

State Congress leaders have joined issue with the TRS chief and Union Minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao, following his remarks on the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. Mr. Rao's comments that if the party went back on its promise "we will drag even Sonia Gandhi and Rajasekhara Reddy to the bazaar" has led to sharp reaction from party leaders in the State.

TRS chief's version

It is understood, that the party central leadership has heard Mr. Rao's version and taken note of his expression of regret for having made those remarks at a TRS party meet. Senior AICC leaders have pointed out that the party has seen and heard Mr. Rao expressing regret for his remarks against Ms. Gandhi.

The move, party sources said, was to ensure that the situation did not go out of control and assert that it was only the high command that would take a considered view on the issue of separate Telangana.

This was not for the first time that the Congress central leadership had intervened in this inter-party duel in the State. On an earlier occasion, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, re-emphasised that the Congress was for setting up a second State Reorganisation Commission. However, a few days later Mr. Digvijay Singh made an appearance at the residence of Mr. Rao here, and said that the party would abide by the decision of the Congress president on Telangana.

Consultation after polls

It is understood that the Congress leadership will begin the process of consultation on Telangana after the Maharashtra Assembly elections are over. Besides being engaged in the electoral battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine in Maharashtra, the party has also to strike a balance with regard to the issue of separate Statehood for Vidarbha region. The issue has already been put in the electoral domain by the Nationalist Congress Party suggesting that a clear stand on Vidarbha should be included in the manifesto.

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