Soon after the invitation from Union Minister and AICC general secretary in-charge of party affairs in the State, Vayalar Ravi, the Telangana Congress MPs deferred about resigning and decided to leave for the national capital on Wednesday morning.

As a matter of fact, the invitation from the Central leadership has come at a time when the Telangana MPs were divided over the resignation issue. While some of them were for resigning from Parliament, others felt that they should resign from Parliament as well as Congress. Even before a consensus could be reached, the New Delhi invite has come as a great relief. They decided that their further action would be chalked out after meeting the Central leaders and hearing their point of few over the delay in taking a decision on the Telangana issue.

Informed sources indicated that the Congress High Command’s decision on Telangana seemed to be linked with the number of seats the party would win in the 2014 elections as it was very keen to achieve a hat-trick in leading the UPA-III Government at the Centre. Thus the party leadership is weighing the pros and cons of the party’s chances in the event of AP’s bifurcation or the advantages of the party in maintaining the status quo.

If the party’s think-tank, which includes Rahul Gandhi, opines that the AP’s present status quo has to be maintained, then some compensation has to be offered to the Telangana region. One of the options before the central leadership was to set up a separate Telangana Development Council with substantial financial allocation. The Telangana Development Council would be headed by a BC leader from the region. To further appease the T people, the Chief Minister ship would also be entrusted to a leader from the region. Since already there is Deputy Chief Minister belonging to SC, he might be elevated as CM. Another option being considered is to create the post of a second Deputy Chief Minister to be selected from the Seemandhra region, these sources indicated.

During their discussions in New Delhi, Vayalar Ravi might put forth these options before the T Congress MPs. Whether this package is acceptable or not for the T Congress MPs is a million dollar question because the sentiments in the region is so strong that nothing sort of a separate Telangana state would be acceptable.

The Delhi bosses are also fully aware that the sentiment among the people of Seemandhra was also gaining momentum in the region. Thus the central leadership has to perform a tight rope walking to appease the people of both Telangana and Seemandhra regions. There is no denial of the fact that it would be a herculean task for the Central leadership to satisfy the political leaders more than the people of the two regions with any decision on Telangana. Thus the central leaders to avoid any explosive situation in any of the regions would try to drag on the issue till the 2014 elections in a bid to buy more time for the time being.

It all started with MP Undavalli Arun Kumar who compared T representatives who are instigating telangana people with that of Razakar’s leader Kasim Razvi. The very next day Kareemnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar compared Undavalli with Peddapuram Prostitute. It is a different matter that entire Peddapuram is baying for Ponnam blood.

Cong MLC Yadav Reddy compared Undavalli not only to OOsaravelli but also machine that spits poison. KCR’s daughter Kavitha went two steps ahead and said Undavalli is more dangerous than terrorist Afzal Guru. She did not even leave Lagadapati Rajagopal comparing the MP to dreaded thief.

TDP leader Somireddy chandramohan Reddy joined the war and branded Cong seemandhra leaders with that of effigies for selling the regions interest to Cong High Command. T MPs equated their Seemandhra Counterparts with Delhi gand rapists. Lagadapati was compared to ‘Kallutagina Koti-Toka Tegina Eddu’ while even Union Health Minister and AP incharge Gulam Nabi Azad was equated to Pak Terrorist.

On the sidelines of this visit Chiranjeevi will be meeting Artur Mas, President of Catalonia province. On 31st January, He will be meeting Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of UNWTO. India and Spain share similarities in their tourism products with both the countries being looked upon as cultural destinations. Both the countries endeavour to develop common approaches to address new and emerging challenges in tourism sector. This is Chiranjeevi’s second official abroad tour after he became Union Minister.

To add salt to injury some of the state’s greats won awards on recommendation of neighboring states like TamilNadu. This shows inability of Andhra Pradesh Govt in using its power and flexing its muscles.

Many feel that all political parties and those MPs and MLAs in power are just interested in making personal gains rather than do something good for the state or those who did yeoman service in various fields. There is no unity among various parties with opposition and ruling party fighting over who should get credit.

This is unlike other states like Tamil Nadu where all parties try to get awards for their great who ever in power in State and Center. That was the reason why MG.Ramachandran was conferred Bharat Ratna while legendary actor and politician NTR whom no one can match in entire AP, was ignored by his own family and both his party and ruling Cong fighting over mere installation of statue at Parliament premises.

Shame on all politicians and bureaucrats who conveniently ignore telugu greats for petty gains. People of the state will never forgive them and they will remain as traitors in the history.

Speaking to the media after a prolonged meeting at Peddapally MP G Vivek’s residence here on Monday, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and Vivek said they would tender resignations to the Lok Sabha and party on Tuesday at CWC former member Dr K Keshava Rao’s residence. They exuded confidence that the ministers from Telangana region too would follow suit.

Rajagopal Reddy said they were making tireless efforts for the last three years protecting the interests of the party in the region. But the adamant Seemandhra Congress leaders were systematically sabotaging formation of separate Telangana State by intense lobbying and resorting to blackmailing tactics at New Delhi resulting in Ghulam Nabi’s statement.

Faulting Ghulam’s statement ridiculing the people of the Telangana region, Rajagopal Reddy said even God ‘Brahma’ would not save the interests of the Congress in the region if the high command delayed the decision on Telangana further.

CWC former member Dr K Keshav Rao said they were being deceived by the party high command. He said the high command’s statements were creating doubts among the people of Telangana. He said the Congress MPs of the region would not believe the party high command further unless it announced separate Telangana State immediately. He also said achievement of Telangana State was possible within a week only if all the Congress leaders, including ministers, legislators and DCC presidents worked together. “I’m disappointed with the delay, it is hard to swallow this. People have lost faith. I feel the party is trying to buy time,” Keshav Rao added. 

Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud has made it clear that they would use their position as a weapon to achieve separate Telangana State. Creation of separate Telangana State was getting delayed only because of lack of cooperation between the ministers and MLAs. He asked the Telangana protagonists to identify the Telangana betrayers and not to doubt about sincerity of the Telangana Congress MPs. He also called upon the T protagonists to obstruct the efforts of anti-Telangana forces and the Seemandhra leaders.

Alleging that the Samaikyandhra movement was being run by the YSRCP coverts, Yashki said Seemandhra Congress leaders joined the movement only to help strengthen the YSRCP and their sons’ future in that party. Yashki warned the Seemandhra leaders not to make provocative statements lest the security of the Seemandhra people settled in Telangana region would be harmed. He also advised the Seemandhra Congress leaders to banish Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao, who engineered the Samaikyandhra movement for his own interests. He also alleged that Dr KVP was organizing “wine and dinner” politics in Delhi to obstruct creation of Telangana State.

Stating that AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi were not against creation of separate Telangana State, Yashki said the Seemandhra leaders were stalling Telangana State with the help of Governor and Intelligence Bureau. He asked Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy to speak on Telangana as Seemandhra’s Pallam Raju was speaking boldly in favor of united Andhra Pradesh.

Expressing her ire over the manner in which political parties have been exploiting the fame and popularity of the film stars, Jayaprada charged that TDP President Chandrababu Naidu Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav had utilized her services for winning elections and then ditched her afterwards.

Jayaprada further expressed her anguish and concern over the happenings and uncertainty in Andhra Pradesh and observed that people of both the regions in the state have showered her with warmth and love. Stressing the imperative need for both Telangana and Seemandhra regions to develop in all respects, she wanted the central government to immediately find a solution to resolve prevailing crisis in the state. It is unfortunate that Congress central leadership has gone back on its promise to resolve the issue within one month. What is now more important is not consultations but a firm decision on Telangana, he observed.

She further said that on the advice of SP leader Amar Singh, she would definitely join some political party. Though she has been invited by many political parties, she would join only the one which has the people’s immense confidence and support. As a matter of fact she had been stating that she would enter into active politics from AP only and hence it was speculated hat she might join her original TDP or YSRCP. However after her scathing attack on Chandrbabu Naidu, it is believed that she might join hands with Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy by joining YSRCP and contest the 2014 elections.

Y.S. Vijayalakshmi Reddy, honorary president of the YSR Congress, the breakaway Congress faction headed by her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, feels the “mess” in Andhra Pradesh over the issue of creating a separate state of Telangana is the Congress’ own creation.

Vijayalakshmi Reddy, popularly known as Vijayamma, told in an interview that the Congress should clean the “mess they have created in Andhra”.

However, she did not clarify her party’s position on creation of a separate Telangana state.

Very tactfully, Vijayamma said a decision on Telangana should be left to the “acceptance” of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

“There is a total chaos in Andhra. The Congress is manipulating the situation for their political benefit,” Vijayamma told during one of her visits to the national capital.

“We are not in a position to give or stop Telangana. We just want the Congress government to do it to the justification and acceptance of the people of all regions of Andhra,” she said.

Vijayamma’s husband, or YSR as he was popularly known, was an extremely popular leader. He was twice chief minister, from 2004-2009 and from May 20, 2009, after the Congress returned to power in the assembly elections, to Sep 2 that year when he was killed in a helicopter crash.

Jaganmohan Reddy quit the Congress in November 2010 after the party leadership refused to nominate him to succeed his father as chief minister. He is at present in jail in a corruption case that his party claims is false.

The allegations against Jaganmohan Reddy include amassing wealth by pressuring companies to “invest” in his businesses in return for various favours from his father’s government when YSR was chief minister.

“The present government in Andhra does not care for the people. It is like there is no government at all. People want the state elections to take place as soon as possible,” Vijayamma said.

The state is facing a political turmoil with a decision on formation of Telangana expected to be announced soon. While people in the Telangana region are demanding a separate state, leaders from Seemandhara (as the Rayalaseema and Andhra regions are referred to), have joined ranks to oppose a division of the state, threatening a showdown.

“There was no such problem when YSR was there. He took along the whole state together,” Vijayamma said.

She slammed the Congress for using the situation for its own ends.

“Everything they have done, they have done to their political advantage. When (P.) Chidambaram announced that the centre was initiating a process for formation of Telangana, did he announce it without consulting his own government (central and state government)? We have made it very clear – clean this mess you have created in the state,” she said.

In December 2009, then home minister Chidambaram had made a dramatic near- midnight announcement of initiating the process of forming Telangana following a fast-unto-death by Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao demanding bifurcation of the state.

Thereafter, a commission under Justice B.N. Srikrishna was formed in March 2010 to give suggestions on a separate state. Its report came on Dec 30, 2010. However, not much progress was made in the process of forming a separate state until Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Dec 28, 2012, announced that a decision on Telangana will be taken in a month. However, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said earlier this week the announcement may take longer.

The state has seen several bandhs, violent protests, spearheaded by students, and suicides over the demand for a separate state.

An emotional Vijayamma added: “Had YSR been alive, such a situation would not have arisen”.

She also slammed the Congress and its central leadership for “forging a case” against Jaganmohan Reddy, alleging it was done as the Congress was “afraid of his popularity”.

“My husband worked for the public for more than 30 years. He lost his life while serving the people. He was instrumental in bringing the Congress to power in Andhra Pradesh and the centre and this is the reward his son gets,” Vijayamma said.

The YSR Congress, in its first electoral foray in 2011, won the by-poll to the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat (Jaganmohan Reddy’s constituency). He had quit the seat after leaving the Congress.

In the assembly by-elections held in 2012, it won 15 of 18 seats it contested – and also the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

Andhra Pradesh is India’s fourth largest state by area (275,000 square km.) and fifth largest by population (84.65 million). The Telangana region is spread over 114,000 sq km with a population of 35.28 million – 41.6 percent of the state’s population. The Telangana region is a comparatively less developed area of the state.

The permission came after legislative council member and eminent academician Chukkah Ramaiah, revolutionary balladeer Gadar and others held talks with state Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma.

Ramaiah said Telangana supporters in large numbers would participate in the protest. He also demanded release of all leaders and activists arrested in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.

Police had earlier refused permission for 36-hour protest called by the JAC to press the demand that the centre make an announcement on Telangana by Monday. With police finally giving them permission, the JAC leaders who had launched the protest at JAC office left for Indira Park.

Legislators of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), who sat on a protest at state assembly, also began their march for the venue. TRS leader E. Rajender appealed to people from all Telangana districts to reach Hyderabad.