Sending a clear message to the party leadership, Telangana Congress leaders, while reaffirming faith in party president Sonia Gandhi, on Sunday adopted a resolution calling for the formation of a separate State.
They expressed the fear that any delay in creating a Telangana state will not only be detrimental to the party but will also affect its very existence in the region.
Showing a high degree of unity at the Telangana Sadhana Sabha, organised under the leadership of Panchayati Raj minister K Jana Reddy at the Nizam College Grounds here, the Telangana Congress leaders urged the party leadership to take a decision in the favour of Telangana at the earliest.
Expressing confidence and faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Jana Reddy said he was confident she will soon take a favourable decision. “Congress alone can deliver a separate Telangana and it will do it soon. Congress has been in favour of Telangana from the beginning and has taken the lead in the Telangana movement”, he said.
“The Telangana movement has reached a crucial stage and the Congress leadership should take note of the situation and decide at the earliest. The people of the region are getting restless and any further delay would go against the party’s interest in the region” , he warned.
For Congress leaders of the region, Telangana statehood was more important than posts and elections, he said and added that if the party’s decision goes against Telangana, they would give up their posts. “If Telangana is given, we would not contest the 2014 elections and work for the party’s victory in the election”, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Damodara Rajanarsimha said separate Telangana struggle is not for packages or Rayala-Telangana options but for self-respect and identity of the people of the region. The people of the region have been deceived many times and now, time has come to fulfil the dream of separate statehood, he said and added that the Congress high command was in favour of separate Telangana and it will deliver it soon. “It’s the anti-Telangana forces which are causing problems in the state not the pro-Telangana ones. Their(Seemandhra) culture is theirs, ours is ours. Lets get separated without any problem and live like brothers”, he said.
Union minister Sarve Satyanarayana said it’s appropriate time for taking an appropriate decision on Telangana and the party leadership should not further delay the decision.
Member of parliament G Sukender Reddy said as the party high command was taking a long time to take a decision on Telangana, youth of the region were resorting to suicide. “Only separate statehood can stop suicides”, he remarked.
Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said the Telangana struggle has come to a now or never stage and the Congress should not lose further time and declare separate statehood.
Sunitha Lakshma Reddy said only statehood will ensure peace in the region. Information Technology and Communication minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah introduced the separate Telangana statehood resolution during the meeting which was adopted unanimously.