Congress faces double-edged knife on Telangana issue

With boycotting decision by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), doubts have already cast about the success of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s proposed all party meeting on Srikrishna committee report here on Thursday.

But the ruling Congress is not taking any chance and geared up itself for making the meet a meaningful one, as its leadership called all party MPs from the region to be in New Delhi and urged them to exercise restraint on the issue of a separate state so that “political friendship” at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in Centre remain intact.

However, before the commencement of the meeting, the problems come with the TRS and BJP making their mind clear publicly not to attend the proposed meeting.

In the meeting, the Home Minister is expected to release the Srikrishna report, which was submitted to him on Dec 30 by justice SB Srikirshna.

Reports also suggested that Telugu Desam Party supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu might not attend the meeting after many legislators belong to the Telangana region have threatened to quit the Assembly.

The Congress also faces a double-edged knife on Telangana issue as many members from Telangana, at last month’s plenary session, had submitted letters to both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reiterating the demand for Telangana.

Under Telangana region, out of 17 Lok Sabha members, 12 belong to the Congress,

The TRS has promised to merge itself in the Congress if the demand for statehood is conceded.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy was also asked to come to Delhi on Wednesday.