President rule in offing

The Congress high command is learnt to have asked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to come to New Delhi and discuss about taking the issue of bifurcation of the State forward.

According to informed sources, AICC in-charge of State affairs, Digvijay Singh, and a few other leaders are said to have spoken to the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy over phone.

They are understood to have told him to ensure that the APNGOs call off their strike, by assuring them that all the concerns and issues raised by them would be addressed. He was also told the high command was determined to complete the process of bifurcation before the next general elections. In Delhi he will be again asked to mend his ways or the high command may have to take the extreme step of removing him and imposing President rule. According to our sources, the high command is in a hurry to pass the Telangana Bifurcation Bill in the winter session of parliament and announce the formation of Telangana on December 9, the birthday of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, exactly four years after the goof-up of P Chidambaram in parliament. The Congress would not like to keep the issue dragging until the eve of the 2014 elections as it has to prepare for elections in both the states.

Interestingly, on Wednesday evening Digvijay Singh told a vernacular news channel that the Centre was deeply concerned about the issues and apprehensions of the Seemandhra people. He said it would ensure full security to all those Seemandhra people residing in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. It would also ensure that they would not have any problem in regard to their job security.

The Seemandhra region would also get a special package for development of all backward areas in Seemandhra region. Other issues like sharing of river water and development of new Capital for the residuary state would also be taken care of, he said.

However, the confusion over whether the State Assembly would be asked to pass a resolution or not still continues. According to Digvijay Singh, the Union Home Ministry had given him a standard procedure that the resolution would be first sent to the Assembly and later the draft Bill would also be sent to the State Assembly.

But recently, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde made a contradictory statement. Singh said he would clarify on the issue after speaking to Shinde soon.

Sources say that whatever the case may be, the Chief Minister will be asked to ensure that the resolution or the draft Bill or both are passed by the State Assembly. If Kiran continues to adopt the adamant stand that he would not like to preside over the division of the State, then the high command would consider imposition of Presidents rule.

When asked about it, Digivijay Singh said, “I will be talking to the Chief Minister. I do not see any need for a change in the Chief Minister at this stage. It is his primary duty to ensure bifurcation of the state. I am confident that he will cooperate.”

To another question, he said, “He has every right to raise the issue to keep the State united but as a loyal Congressman, I am sure he will abide by the decision of the CWC.”

He said that it is necessary for all to cooperate in the matter since all including the Chief Minister had told him that they would abide by the decision of the high command.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is understood to have told some of his confidants that he would prefer to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi and once again make his voice heard opposing bifurcation of the state.

He is said to have told them that even if he meets other leaders, there would not be any change in his stand that the state should remain United.