Congress fails to mollify MPs

• War room meeting sees heated exchanges
• Defiant Kiran Kumar Reddy skips it
• T leaders agree not to protest today

Hyderabad: Anticipating serious trouble in the Parliament when the government proposes to introduce the Telangana Bill, the Congress top brass met the MPs from both sides of the divide in New Delhi on Tuesday in an attempt to mollify them and get them on board on the State bifurcation bill, but failed in its mission. Though invited, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy skipped the meeting. PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana was not invited. Rebel MPs were initially not extended any invitation, but were later invited to the meeting.

The meeting which lasted over two hours witnessed heated exchanges between the Seemandhra and T leaders. The Seemandhra MPs including Lagadapati Rajagopal made it clear that they would not allow the Bill to be tabled in the Lok Sabha.

T leaders oppose GoM move

The T leaders strongly opposed the recommendation of the GoM to transfer certain areas under Bhadrachalam division to the residuary state. A senior leader Renuka Chowdary threatened to go on hunger strike. She was learnt to have questioned Jairam Ramesh as to how he could suggest such an amendment without discussing it with the T representatives.

Lagadapati lashes out at Kavuri

While coming out of the war room, Lagadapati Rajagopal in an angry tone told Union Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao that he would have to face the wrath of the people if he did not stir out of his seat in Lok Sabha when the government introduced the T Bill. He also challenged him to prove his credentials as an integrationist by joining the silent protest to be launched by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday.

MP Ananta Venkatarami Reddy said that the Seemandhra MPs questioned Digvijay as to why the Congress high command was in a tearing hurry to table the Bill in Parliament without addressing the concerns of Seemandhra people. Criticising the recommendation of GoM for a special package to Rayalaseema, he said he told the party leadership that at this stage what they wanted was that the process be stalled and not packages.

Union Minister of State for Finance JD Seelam said Digvijay had assured to address the issues raised by Seemandhra people. He said the meeting also raised doubts on whether the Bill would finally be tabled in Lok Sabha or not. Seelam said he told the party bosses that if they rush through with the bill without addressing the issues raised by Seemandhra people, it would push the party into serious trouble. He insisted that the amendments made by the Andhra Pradesh assembly be taken into consideration before finalising the Bill.

On the other hand, the T leaders felt that the Seemandhra MPs should allow the Bill to be introduced and can discuss all their objections during debate and demand whatever they want to help the Seemandhra region.

Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao said that Digvijay had asked them to call off the proposed dharna by Telangana Congress leaders. When they pointed out that the Chief Minister was going to sit on dharna, Digvijay said, “let him do it, but you people call it off lest it would give ammunition to the opposition. On CM we shall see what is to be done later.”

However, Digvijay said that “we had a good meeting. Views were exchanged and concerns of Seemandhra MPs and Ministers were heard. Congress will take up the suggestions made by the members with GoM on Telangana to ensure that it is a win- win situation for both Telangana and Seemandhra regions.”

It is learnt that Digvijay told the MPs not to do anything that would give credence to the accusations made by BJP that there the Congress house was not in order. The meeting was addressed by AICC general secretary in charge of state affairs Digvijay Singh, Ahmed Patel, Gulam Nabi Azad, Jaipal Reddy and Jairam Ramesh.

Among those who participated in the meeting were V Hanumantha Rao, Balaram Naik, Ponnam Prabhakar, Nandi Yellaiah, S Rajaiah, Renuka Chowdary, Union Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, K Chiranjeevi, J D Seelam, Killi Kruparani, D Purandeswari, MPs Anjan Kumar Yadav, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar, Ponnam Prabhakar, Magunta Srinivasula Reddy, G Harsha Kumar, Lagadapati Rajagopal and Rayapati Sambasiva Rao.

Though the party leadership decided not to invite the six rebel MPs, 45 minutes before the meeting Digvijay Singh called them on phone and asked them to attend the meeting. However, KVP Ramachandra Rao, Vundavalli Arun Kumar and Sabbam Hari refused to attend.