Telangana Cong. Forum warns of 'direct action'

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 14. A day-long convention for separate Telangana, organised by the Telangana Congress Forum, here on Monday has resolved to depute a team to Delhi to bring pressure on the party high command to endorse the demand.

A resolution adopted at the convention warned that Congressmen would be constrained to go to the people and initiate ``such an action which would help achieve statehood for Telangana and save the party in the region'' if the party leadership dodged the issue any more.

Contrary to expectations, the convention refrained from issuing any ultimatum to the party high command but underscored the urgency to take an early decision as otherwise ``the issue would go out of the hands of the party organisation.'' The essence of the resolution was that a decision by the Congress in favour of statehood for Telangana alone would coerce the NDA Government into action as the BJP had already committed itself to it in its election manifesto.

Moving the resolution, the deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Mr. D. Srinivas, cautioned that the 41 party MLAs would not hesitate to sit as a separate bloc in the Assembly if the leadership delayed its decision beyond a reasonable time.

Another deputy leader of the CLP, Dr. P. Shankar Rao, seconding the resolution, said the five-member committee of the party, headed by Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, was expected to submit its report soon following which the leadership would take a final decision.

Mr. V. Purushotham Reddy, MLA and convenor of the Telangana Congress Forum, in his opening remarks, explained the circumstances under which the forum was formed. About 20 MLAs attended the meeting besides senior leaders like Mr. M. Baga Reddy, Mr. P. Narsa Reddy, Mr. M. Kodanda Reddy, Mr. Nandi Yellaiah and DCC presidents. The second line leaders demanded that the party take an unequivocal stand on the issue. Some of them even demanded the resignation of party MLAs in the event of the party high command delaying the matter inordinately.

The speakers repeatedly referred to the movement launched by the Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) headed by the former deputy Speaker, Mr. K. Chandrasekhara Rao, and expressed apprehension that the cadre might desert the party and flock to TRS `if the Congress does not take the issue seriously.'

Mr. Purushotham Reddy and other senior leaders however sought to play down the impact of the TRS.

A party functionary from Siddipet said the TRS leader carried conviction with the people of the region as he launched the agitation after ``sacrificing the deputy speakership'' and unless similar sacrifices were made by party MLAs, people would not believe the party.

The MLAs that attended the meeting are: Mr. V. Purhshotham Reddy, Mr. N. Indrakaran Reddy, Mr. D. Srinivas, Dr. P.Shankar Rao, Mr. G. Chinna Reddy, Mr. P. Govardhan Reddy, Mr. D. Ragya Naik, Mrs. Sunitha Reddy, Mr. P. Kista Reddy, Mr. Fareeduddin, Mr. J. Krishna Rao, Mr. J. Divakar Rao, Mr. Sudharshan Reddy, Mr. Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Mr. B. Venkateswarlu, Mr. Gurunath Reddy, Mr. A. Vittal Reddy, Mr. N. Rajalingam, Mr. N. Uttamkumar Reddy and Mr. B. Govardhan.

Others who participated include Mr. K. R. Amos, Mr. Mallu Ravi, Mr. D. V. Satyanarayana Rao, Mr. K. Janardhan Reddy, and Mr. Laxminarayana, former Hyderabad Mayor.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Next     : No need of agitation for Telangana: Dattatreya