The effect of Congress core committee’s recent deliberations over Telangana issue is likely to be felt during the state Cabinet meeting slated for Friday. The reason is chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and his deputy C Damodara Rajanarasimha, who have given presentations for United Andhra and separate Telangana respectively before the core group, will come face-to-face at the meeting.
Though there has been a running feud between Kiran Reddy and Rajanarasimha, they never confronted each other during Cabinet meetings. However, this time, the situation appears worrisome as Kiran Reddy has clearly taken the United Andhra stance, whereas Rajanarasimha argued for Telangana state.
In a bid to emerge as champions of the cause of their respective regions, both Kiran and his deputy leaked to the media their respective road maps on the T-issue, submitted to their Delhi bosses.
If Kiran Reddy claimed that he had sought a huge financial package for Telangana in lieu of statehood, Rajanarasimha disclosed that he had categorically said formation of T-state is the only solution.
Ministers from Seemandhra have rallied behind their boss in support of Samaikyandhra, while their T-counterparts have thrown their weight behind Rajanarasimha, exposing the regional split in the council of ministers.
As the Cabinet is going to meet at a time when the T-issue has completely polarised the Cabinet, the meeting on Friday is expected to be stormy.
Kondru remarks: Ahead of the meeting, minister for health and family welfare Kondru Murali Mohan almost touched the raw nerve in T-Congress flock by saying that separatists be driven out of the state. His remarks are likely to further widen the divide between ministers.
Rajya Sabha members from Telangana, V Hanumantha Rao and Palvai Govardhan Reddy, denounced the remarks of Murali Mohan, who is considered a close associate of the chief minister.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday separately, both Rao and Reddy said their Seemandhra counterparts, be it Vijayawada MP Lagadapti Rajagopal or minister Murali Mohan, are trying to belittle the T-movement.
Referring to Kiran Reddy’s proposal of a financial package to Telangana, Hanumantha Rao said, “It is not proper for the chief minister to come in the way of Telangana state by advocating packages. I appeal to him to ask the party leadership to give a package to his region to build a new capital.”
“Moreover, it makes no sense since the core group has decided to demerge Andhra and Telangana soon,” said Govardhan Reddy.