As the T-process is being completed, the Congress high command has now begun shifting its focus to Seemandhra to resuscitate the party from the moribund state. The AICC top brass has started formulating strategies to regain the lost ground in Seemandhra, where there are as many as 25 LS seats.
As a part of this, AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi are all set to address public meetings in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh in the the month of March.
This was decided by the AICC high command on Wednesday when Seemandhra Congress lawmakers had called on Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday and invited her to their region to address public meetings along with prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi in the run-up to the ensuing general polls.
Emerging from the meeting, AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh, flanked by Seemandhra leaders, told reporters that the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would soon be completed with President Pranab Mukherjee’s assent to the T-bill and gazette notification for the creation of Telangana state.
Stating that the appointed day for the new state will be specified in the gazette notification, Digvijaya Singh said special category status would be conferred on Seemandhra for five years and tax incentives would continue for a period of 10 years.
He said, “A committee is being given the task of locating the new capital and high court in Seemandhra. This task will be completed in the few months.” As the state is being bifurcated, the AICC general secretary said the party leadership had begun restructuring the party setup in both the future states.