Date:16/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/16/stories/2008091660311200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Telangana issue: Telugu Desam may withdraw memo from Pranab panel

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party on Monday said it would not hesitate to withdraw its memorandum to the Pranab Mukherji committee on Telangana, if the core committee of the party so decides.

Addressing a press conference, TDP leaders -- K. Yerran Naidu, R. Chandrasekhara Reddy, Umareddy Venkateswarlu and Y. B. Rajendra Prasad -- said the party was alive to the changing political situation and it was awaiting the report of the core committee that was studying the Telangana issue.

Mr. Yerran Naidu said unlike the Congress, which had deceived the people of the region by saying one thing before the Assembly elections and doing another later, the TDP had been maintaining a consistent stand.

He was referring to Legislative Affairs Minister K. Rosaiah quoting BJP leader L.K. Advani as blaming the Telugu Desam Party for NDA not taking a decision on Telangana.

The TDP leaders charged Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy with politicising even a natural phenomenon like rain and spending tax payers’ money for unleashing publicity blitzkrieg to claim credit for the same.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s direction to the Ministers to perform ‘Varuna Puja’ at projects, they wondered if he would do the same to call on the kin of 5,000 farmers who had committed suicide despite rain and reservoirs getting filled up.