United Andhra protagonist and minister Sake Sailajanath is understood to have been “dumbstruck” by the rapid pace at which the Union Home Ministry is drafting the Cabinet note on Telangana.
Contrary to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s belief that division of the State will not be a reality till 2014 polls, Sailajanath has started accepting the bitter fact that Samaikyandhra will soon become an “illusion.”
Sailajanath visited the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi on Thursday to get a sneak preview of the contents of the draft Cabinet note on Telangana. Congress veteran Paladugu Venkata Rao and MLC Rudraraju Padma Raju also accompanied him.
According to sources, some officials of the Home department told the trio the T process had been expedited and the draft Cabinet note almost prepared. It is learnt that the T note will be placed before the next meeting of the Union Cabinet, scheduled to take place on Sept 19. Padma Raju told Express they were convinced that the Home Ministry had fast-tracked the T-process. “It seems the Centre has decided to complete the T-process at the earliest. But, there are several procedural hurdles,” he said.
Of these procedural hurdles, the main one is said to be special provisions provided in Article 371(d) to segregate recruitment of government posts on zonal basis. The ministry is seeking the opinion of legal luminaries to know whether a Constitutional amendment is needed for removing this provision while bifurcating the State. The trio also disclosed that the Home Ministry has taken note of the ongoing movement in Seemandhra. “I hope there will be some changes in the final note on the T state to placate the agitating Seemandhra people. This could either be special status to Hyderabad or a Rayala-Telangana state by merging Kurnool and Anantapur districts with Telangana,” one of the three leaders said.
They felt barring Union Territory status, the T note might suggest alternative arrangement of administration for Hyderabad such as keeping law and order and revenue administration with the Centre for at least 10 years, during which period the city will be common capital of both the proposed states. It is learnt that after reconciling themselves to the fact that bifurcation is certain, the three leaders requested their Delhi bosses to at least grant special status to Hyderabad.
Sailajanath is understood to have requested the Home Ministry to suggest separate capitals for the two proposed states instead of making Hyderabad permanent joint capital. He is understood to have rejected the proposal of “Chandigarh model” for Hyderabad. However, he denied this.
Meanwhile, AICC president Sonia Gandhi is set to give her “political nod” to fast-tracking the T process at the Congress Core Committee meeting on Friday.