Telangana figures in Sonia-Prez meeting
New Delhi: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi met President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan. In the 45-minute meeting, the Congress President is understood to have discussed the present political scenario in the country, besides the contentious issue of Telangana.
The Congress is going ahead with the formation of Telangana and is all set to pass it in the Winter Session of Parliament. Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have discussed the timeline of the Bill and the steps taken by the government to address the concerns of the Seemandhra region. Significantly, Sonia Gandhi's meeting with the President was ahead of the Seemandhra Congress leaders meeting with him.
While discussing the roadmap for the creation of a separate State of Telangana, the possibility of imposing the President's rule in the State also reportedly figured in the meeting.
Since Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is cooperating with the Centre now, the Centre visualizes no difficulty in taking the process forward under a popular government. However, if the need arises, the Centre will not hesitate to clamp President's rule in Andhra Pradesh, say sources.
It was basically a thanksgiving meeting where Sonia Gandhi expressed her gratitude to the President for bailing the government out on the contentious issue of the Ordinance, which sought to protect the convicted MPs and MLAs.
Had it not been for the President and his refusal to sign on the dotted line, as recommended by the Union Cabinet, the UPA government would have sullied its own image for shielding the convicted legislators.
It was only after the President's refusal to sign the Ordinance that the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi surprised everyone by making a dramatic entry in the Press Club of India, in the midst the press conference of Congress Chief Spokesperson Ajay Maken and rubbishing the Ordinance as 'nonsense that should be torn apart and thrown away.'
Rahul Gandhi can only thank the President for compelling him to take the right stand that enhanced his image before the public. Learning the lessons from the past, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, it seems, has made up her mind to consult the President often, in order to avoid any mistakes, as it has happened in the past. She is looking forward for his guidance for formalising the process of Telangana.
News Posted: 25 October, 2013
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