Congress, BJP firm on Telangana
New Delhi: The Telangana episode is heading for an exciting climax with Congress racing against time and reaching out to the Bharatiya Janata Party for an understanding to get the Telangana bill passed in the final session of Parliament before it concludes on February 21.
As of now, things appear bright for the formation of Telangana State with both the Congress and the main opposition BJP expressing their determination to see that it happens at any cost.
The Congress high command is trying to work out a formula that would please both the Seemandhra leaders, as well as the BJP by accommodating some of their key suggestions in the bill without diluting its original spirit.
In all probability, the Telangana bill is expected to come up in both the Houses of Parliament next week.That the Congress high command is serious about getting the Telangana bill passed was evident from the way it rescheduled the Thursday's Cabinet meeting to Friday so as to facilitate the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana to make changes in the bill by incorporating the amendments suggested by Seemandhra Union Ministers and also the BJP.
While the GoM, which met for one last time in the afternoon, considered certain suggestions made by the Seemandhra ministers, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, one of the key members of the GoM, met senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu to discuss the possibility of incorporating some of the amendments suggested by the BJP.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde indicated to the media that the revised AP Reorganisation Bill, 2013, would be placed before the Union Cabinet which would meet at 4.30 pm on Friday. "Efforts are on to resolve all contentious issues," he said.
GoM makes key changes in bifurcation bill to appease Seemandhra; Special cabinet meeting today to take final call
According to sources, the bill would then be sent to President for his consent before being introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday or Tuesday.
That the BJP is also serious about getting the Telangana bill passed in Parliament was evident from the statement of party official spokesperson Prakash Javadekar, who declared that his party was committed to separate Telangana State and the same was conveyed to Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhara Rao when the latter met BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Thursday morning.
Rajnath Singh assured the TRS chief that the BJP was committed to the creation of a separate Telengana since 1997 and would vote for the bill in both houses of Parliament.
Javadekar lambasted the Congress for failing to introduce the Telangana Bill in Parliament so far even though it took a decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh in July last year.
Alleging that the Congress was not sincere towards Telangana, the BJP leader expressed displeasure over the failure of the Congress to take action against the defiant Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for staging a dharna in New Delhi.Javadekar said his party's aim was to expose the "double game" of the ruling Congress towards the Telangana issue.
Meanwhile, leaders from Andhra Pradesh continued to make beeline to Rashtrapati Bhavan for the second consecutive day.
Representatives of the Telangana region met President Pranab Mukherjee in separate meetings on Thursday and tried to undo the impression created by Kiran, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Seemandhra Congress leaders that the bifurcation was unconstitutional as the Assembly had rejected the proposal.
The first to knock on Rashtrapati Bhavan's doors was a delegation of Telangana Congress leaders who met the President. They contended that the Chief Minister's claim on the bill being rejected was mischievous and misleading.
The Telangana Congress leaders told Pranab Mukherjee that the resolution touted as a reflection of AP people's sentiments was moved in haste and passed in the din.
The TRS supremo was the next to meet the President. He had a detailed meeting with Pranab Mukherjee on the recent developments in the State.
KCR impressed upon the President that not only was the resolution moved in the Assembly was an attempt to derail the much awaited bifurcation but it bulldozed in an unconstitutional manner.
The TRS chief assured the President that the apprehensions of breakdown in law and order and other projected fears were baseless. He requested the President to give the go ahead for creation of Telengana without any fears of a backlash.
KCR urged the President to exercise his powers as the highest Constitutional authority and expedite the process of bifurcation.
News Posted: 7 February, 2014
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