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Thursday, Sep 21, 2006
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Congressmen warned against fighting over Telangana

Special Correspondent

Stop bickering, says Digvijay Singh; party committed to the cause of Telangana

HEARTY SMILES: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, AICC leader Digvijay Singh and APCC president K. Keshava Rao during party's extended executive meet in Hyderabad on Wednesday. - PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The Congress high command issued a stern warning to its MPs and MLAs on Wednesday against going public with controversial statements on Telangana, and asked them to stop bickering forthwith.

Those who do not fall in line will face severe disciplinary action, the party high command conveyed to them in the form of a resolution adopted unanimously at an executive meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee and the Congress Legislature Party. The meeting resolved to leave the issue of Telangana to AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

The AICC's crackdown had an instant effect on the two feuding Congress MPs-- Sarve Satyanarayana and Lagadapati Rajagopal-- who patched up their differences. The latter apologised for his remarks while Mr. Satyanarayana said the issue was closed. AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who rushed here in the wake of the raging controversy, made it clear that "no leader shall air his view before the media on any controversy or enter into a slanging match. The high command is firm on this matter."

Talking to the media, Mr. Singh admitted that partymen were entitled to hold views which may be different from the official line, but they could give vent to their feelings only to the APCC president, the Chief Minister or himself.

`TRS still an ally'

Allaying the Telangana leaders' fears, he said Ms. Gandhi needed more time to resolve the issue of Telangana. But, the party remained committed to the Telangana cause, he said, adding that there was no move to wind up the UPA sub-committee on Telangana. Party leaders should convince people about this.

He held that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi was still a member of the United Progressive Alliance and there was no question of fielding a candidate in the possible byelection to the Karimnangar Lok Sabha seat unless K. Chandrasekhar Rao pulled out of the alliance.

Earlier at the meeting he warned partymen against crossing the `Lakshman rekha' of discipline.

He advised them not to use local issues like Pothireddypadu head regulator or Telangana sentiment as a stick to beat the Government. They could sort these issues out with the State leaders, he said.

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