Seemandhra, Telangana MPs flex muscles for final bout

HYDERABAD: As it is most likely that the Telangana bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha, Seemandhra MPs are determined to stall the proceedings, come what may.

As the MPs from Telangana and Andhra almost came to blows on Wednesday, one wonders how the situation would pan out on Thursday when the both the Houses would meet.

Seemandhra Congress MPs and ministers met at the residence of minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao and decided to go to any extent to stall the proceedings of both the Houses and block any attempt of the government to introduce the T bill.

Those who attended the meeting included the six MPs expelled from the Congress, ministers Chiranjeevi, Killi Krupa Rani, JD Seelam, Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy and D Purandeswari.

The MPs, after taking stock of the situation, felt that all of them should stay put in the well and stall the proceedings.

They also decided to be prepared to quit their positions as ministers or as MPs if the situation warrants. They should not hesitate to make any sacrifice for Samaikyandhra. The MPs and ministers also discussed the issue of transfer of villages in Bhadrachalam mandal to Andhra state and that of amendments to the bill for the benefit of Seemandhra region.

Already MPs from both the sides made it clear that they would go to any extent in support of their respective demands. TDP MP from Narasaraopet M Venugopala Reddy said that he was not afraid if any Telangana MPs resorted to physical attack and that he would tell them what Palnadu pride is all about.

Matching word for word, Nagarkurnool MP Manda Jaganndham said though he wanted the issue settled amicably, the Telangana MPs would not sit quiet if the Seemandhra MPs flexed their muscles.

Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabahakar too said that their silence should not be construed as their weakness. Even now, in the face of extreme provocation, he said he wanted the Seemandhra MPs to ask for what their region needs and that Telangana MPs would support thme in this cause. But blocking the T Bill is something that we will not allow, he said.

The Seemandhra MPs are getting into an overdrive after their success in disrupting the presentation of rail budget earlier in the day. They are now raring to further intensify their protest in the House.

If Anakapalle MP Sabbam Hari has said that he would end his life in the House if the Centre tables the bill, Guntur LS member Rayapati Sambasiva Rao said that they would with the help of the members of other parties opposed to division, would effectively block presentation of the bill.

The MPs were happy over the development that even the Seemandhra Central ministers joining hands with them in stalling the proceedings of the House earlier in the day.

Union Ministers KS Rao, D Purandeswari, K Chiranjeevi, MM Pallam Raju moved into the well of the house, much to the horror of the prime minister, and raised slogans in support of Samaikyandhra.

Said Purandeswari later: 'I am voicing the opinion of the people of my region. If the bill is introduced, the next moment I will resign. In fact I have already resigned and my resignation is with the Prime Minister,' she said.