Telangana statehood demand gaining ground in AP

Rebellion against central leadership in Congress party here is brewing steadily prompting Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to appeal to the partymen from Telangana not to go on for proposed hunger strike from Monday.

The Congress MPs from Telangaha, however, planned to go ahead with the fast until and unless all police cases against the students were withdrawn.

Besides the party in power is also worried about the outcome of the Srikrishna Committee report on the Telangana statehood to be submitted by this month-end.

Telangana Congress leaders, including MPs, MLAs and MLCs, on Sunday had issued an ultimatum to the state government demanding withdrawal of all cases registered against agitators in the region by Sunday midnight.

To this effect the CM on Sunday night appealed his partymen not to insist on hunger strike at this moment.

State ministers P Shankar Rao and K Jana Reddy had also offered to resign if a separate state was not announced on Dec 31.

Rajya Sabha MP and Congress Working Committee member K Keshava Rao said party MPs would begin an indefinite fast at the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial if the police cases were not withdrawn.

Rao said police “excess”? must stop.

” All cases must be withdrawn unconditionally. Our party alone will give Telangana,” Rao said. “We will submit our resignations to the party high command,” Rao added indicating deadline of Dec 31.