Amidst reports that the Congress high command is firming up its stance in favour of a Telangana state, the party’s T-MPs met at Zaheerabad MP Suresh Shetkar’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Interestingly, Peddapalli MP G Vivek, who has recently joined the TRS, attended the meeting, fuelling speculation that he may return to the Congress. “When did I leave the Congress? Our resignations are with the party high command. I only joined the Telangana movement,” he reportedly told his colleagues at the meeting.
According an MP, who attended the meeting, they discussed ways and means of preventing Seemandhra leaders from upsetting the Telangana apple cart. “The process for formation of a Telangana state has reached a crucial stage. We have to ensure that no one derails the process,” the MP said.
Vivek also met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and pitched for division of the state. Later, speaking to mediapersons, he denied contemplating the prodigal son act. “I attended the meeting because Shetkar is a close friend,” he clarified. Vivek also said he had urged Shinde to take a decision on state division as early as possible and cautioned him against believing in the presentation made by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at the recent Congress core group meeting. Besides Vivek, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha also attended the meeting. He later called on Defence Minister AK Antony, armed with a presentation on how to carve out a T-state.
Back in Hyderabad, in a significant development, Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar met Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan. Sources said they might have discussed when to convene the Assembly should the need arise to introduce a resolution on Telangana.
Earlier in the day, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana called on Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy. The buzz in Congress circles is that the PCC president met Jaipal Reddy only to explain to him that he had argued against bifurcation of the State only to impress his voters.