Good riddance for Cong : Azad

• Brushes off desertions as a blow to party
• T talks may resume this month
• The deserters have struck business with TRS
• 'Resignations are for MP, MLA tickets, not for T'

Venkat Parsa New Delhi: AICC General Secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday dismissed speculation that the desertions from Congress to TRS will prove to be a blow to the party. Azad asserted that it is good riddance for the party and exuded confidence that there would be no more desertions, as those, who believe in Congress, are in the party and are waiting for the Congress decision on the issue of Telangana.

Azad told mediapersons shortly before his departure for Jammu that more talks are needed on Telangana. The party may resume the consultations process once again as early as this month and it will seek an amicable and acceptable solution to Telangana tangle. A Unfortunately, these people quit the Congress and joined the TRS more in their individual capacity, making politics a business or trade. Once in politics, one is expected to stick to the convictions that one holds before joining politics. They have struck business with TRS leadership by ensuring that they would get MP tickets and MLA tickets for their children, remarked Azad.

"I don't think such persons deserve to be politicians. This is just like business, this is trade. It is good riddance for us. We would like to have people, who believe in the Congress party and the Congress policies, who have some convictions and are devoted to the people. I don't think they are devoted to the people. I would have liked to imagine that they would have resigned for Telangana. They have not resigned just for Telangana, but they have bargained how many tickets they will get for themselves and for their kith and kin and their family members," he said.

Azad asserted they have resigned not for Telangana, but for ensuring tickets for themselves and their family members. In the Congress, they would not have got so many tickets for themselves and their family members. A Tracing the genesis for the current logjam, Azad pointed out how opinion is sharply divided between those favouring united Andhra Pradesh and those for separate Telangana. Several rounds of talks were held both at the regional and the national levels with various stakeholders on Telangana. Due to sharp polarisation of opinion, the decision was delayed. More consultations are required and the party will continue with it to find a lasting solution that has wider acceptance.