In an interesting development on the T-front, the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) called the state Congress troika - chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, his deputy C Damodara Rajanarasimha and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana - on Friday and asked them to make themselves available at the PMO on Saturday at 10.30 a.m. to have a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Though the agenda of the meeting was not known, state Congress leaders feel that the meeting might elicit the views of the three leaders on the package to be given to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation.
However, Botcha said that the meeting was aimed at discussing the flood relief for the cyclone-hit districts in the state.
“As the Prime Minister could not visit the cyclone-affected areas, we have sought an appointment with him to seek a relief package. In response to our plea, the PMO has fixed the appointment for Saturday,” Botcha said. The PCC boss said some ministers from the state would also accompany them when they meet the Prime Minister.
No voting on T in Assembly: When the T-Bill is referred to the Assembly, a majority of MLAs in the House would oppose it, Botcha said, adding “But, I believe there won’t be any voting on the T Bill in the Assembly. Only views of various political parties on the issue of bifurcation might be elicited in the House,” he said.
He disagreed with the view of some of his peers from Seemandhra that Congress would be wiped out from the region in the wake of Centre’s T-decision.
Botcha, however, felt that the decision to bifurcate AP would have an adverse effect on the prospects of the Congress Party in Seemandhra up to some extent.
Meanwhile, minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who is considered as the close aide of Kiran Reddy, came down heavily on the AICC state affairs incharge Digvijay Singh for saying that only the T-Bill might be sent to the state Assembly for its views.