Andhra leaders make a beeline to meet Prez
HYDERABAD: Leaders from various parties made a beeline to meet President Pranab Mukherjee here on Sunday. If Seemandhra leaders sought to bring to his notice the 'loopholes' in the Telangana Bill, their Telangana counterparts complained to him about the 'strong arm' tactics being adopted by the former to prevent a meaningful debate.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Governor E S L Narasimhan also met the President separately. The Governor in his late evening meeting is understood to have apprised the President of the situation in the state.
Kiran was closeted with the President for about half-an-hour and his office described it as a courtesy call. The Chief Minister's camp, however, said Kiran might have discussed the Bill, already tabled in the Assembly, and brought to his notice 'its provisions that are in violation of the Constitution'.
The day began with MPs Manda Jagannadham and G Vivek calling on the President. They said they had requested him not to extend the time given for the T debate beyond January 23.
They claimed the President had responded favourably and assured them that everything would be handled properly. A TDP delegation, comprising leaders from Seemandhra, also called on the President and urged him to recall the Bill as it is 'against the provisions of the Constitution'.
Meanwhile, the Congress and TDP suffered minor jolts as the much-awaited exodus of their leaders seems to have begun.
In Vizianagaram district, Saluru legislator P Rajanna Dora quit the Congress to join the YSRC. He met YSRC chief Jaganmohan Reddy at his residence and was formally inducted into the party.
Jukkal TDP MLA Hanumanth Shinde, on the other hand, went to the Telangana Bhavan in a procession and joined the TRS in the presence of party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Speaking on the occasion, Rao said the TDP would soon become an empty house as Telangana leaders are preparing to desert it because of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's ambivalent stand on Telangana.
There was more bad news for the TDP with Jagan announcing that his second phase of Samaikya Sankharavam would begin at Palamaneru in Chittoor district on December 27.
News Posted: 22 December, 2013
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