Battle of Wits Begins Over T-Deadline

With the deadline for debate on T-bill in nearing, a battle of wits has begun between the protagonists of Samaikyandhra and Telangana to exert pressure on President Pranab Mukherjee.

The government sent a letter to the President on Friday pleading with him to extend the deadline by a month beyond Jan 23.

Sources in the Union Home Ministry on Saturday confirmed receipt of the letter written by the Chief Secretary PK Mohanty.

Home Ministry officials further divulged that they were forwarding the same to the President. Interestingly, Chief Secretary Mohanty, who had met Speaker N Manohar after the adjournment of the House for the day on Saturday, told reporters that he had not sent any such letter to the President on behalf of the state.

Earlier, when reporters wanted to know whether such a letter was sent to the President or not, the Chief Minister chose not to answer the query. A big smile was only the reply from him.

However, Kiran Reddy’s close aide and minister Pithani Satyanarayana divulged that they would plead with the President to extend the time by 60 more days.

Pitani further said people and leaders of Seemandhra were longing for the launch of a new political party in the region. He, however, made it clear that none of them were working on a new party at present, with a rider that “We will decide our future course after Jan 23”.

On the other hand, giving strength to the argument that Samaikyandhra protagonists are making every attempt to drag the debate on the T-bill, some of the Seemandhra Congress MLAs such as Gade Venkata Reddy and K Subbarayudu on Saturday submitted a letter to Speaker N Manohar requesting the President to send further background information on nine key issues concerning the bifurcation of the state, including attorney general’s view on Article 371(D), common capital and keeping some powers over Hyderabad with the Governor.According to sources, the Speaker had forwarded the letter to the President through the Chief Secretary Mohanty.

Meanwhile, minister D Sridhar Babu said Telangana MLAs from various parties had started writing letters to the President urging him not to extend the time limit. CPI state secretary K Narayana had sent such a letter.