200 MLAs Will Oppose T-State!

In a tactical twist in Andhra Pradesh politics, the Seemandhra leaders are now rooting for introduction of a resolution on Telangana in the Legislative Assembly. Outwardly, this may appear strange for a layman.

But, a closer look will reveal a well-calculated political strategy behind it. The non-Telangana legislators want the issue to be settled once and for all. Going by the arithmetic reality in the 294-member Assembly, the T-resolution is bound to be lost as a majority of MLAs from Raylaseema and coastal Andhra will oppose it.

Once the resolution fails to get the approval of the House, the Seemandhra leaders can claim victory and advocate putting an end to the raging debate.  The idea was first mooted by senior TDP MLA from Anantapur district Payyavula Kesav who said he would soon meet the Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar with a request to permit introduction of a resolution on Telangana and then give a call to the members to vote according to their “conscience”.

In furtherance of this strategy, nearly 30 Seemandhra TDP legislators held a meeting in the Assembly premises on Tuesday and decided to press for T-resolution in the House, a report in “Eenadu” said.

Quoting party sources, the report said the Seemandhra leaders were “cent percent sure” that their opinion will prevail in the House in view of the numerical strength. “At least 200 members will vote in favour of united state,” an MLA was quoted as saying.

The strategy is believed to be the brainchild of TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu who has been pushed to a corner because of his “two-eyed theory” on Telangana and sand-witched between the conflicting interests within his party.

He is planning a move aimed at hitting two birds with a single shot: Rein in his own vociferous colleagues from Telangana and expose the double-standards of the ruling Congress on the statehood issue.

In a related development, the Seemandhra Congress MPs have also decided to persuade the high command to take an early decision on the issue to clear the air of political uncertainty. According to “Andhra Jyothy”, a majority of them want Union Territory status for Hyderabad while carving out a separate Telangana state. An informal meeting of the MPs from the two regions felt that time had come for the Centre to take a final decision.

All the leading dailies highlighted Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s assertion that the Telangana ball was in the Centre’s court and that he would abide by the union government’s decision.

Normal life coming to a standstill across Telangana region because of Bandh, KCR’s failed attempt to raise Telangana issue in the Lok Sabha, the expectations over the state budget being presented on Wednesday and Anti-Corruption Bureau cases against IAS officers in Raheja IT Park land case were among the major developments highlighted by the media.

“Sakshi” gave prominent display to former Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s ongoing “Deeksha” on fee reimbursement issue and played up reports about his deteriorating health condition on the fifth day of his fasting.