President of India Pranab Mukherjee on Monday gave his nod to the Andhra Pradesh State reorganization bill, paving the way for the creation of Telangana State. The Bill was now likely to be introduced in Rajya Sabha in next couple of days.
The speed with which the President gave his assent to the bill has surprised many. The file was sent by the Prime Minister’s office to Rashtarpati Bhavan on Sunday.
In Delhi, the Centre accelerated its efforts to gain support for the legislation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited the top brass of the BJP for a dinner meeting on Wednesday, and back home political tensions heightened in Hyderabad. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally invited BJP leaders lK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitely and Rajnath Singh over lunch to discuss the smooth passage of the bill in Parliament. With National Conference, Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal (United) and Samajwadi Party opposing the Telangana bill, BJP’s support is crucial for the passage of the Bill.
When Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy drove to Raj Bhavan and met Governor ESl Narasimhan on Monday, speculation were fuelled he was getting ready to quit. The meeting took place on a day when the State Assembly’s brief four-day budget session began and Finance minister A Ramanarayana Reddy presented vote on account in view of the forthcoming elections in the State. Chief Minster has already told his close associates and friends that he will quit the moment the Center moves the bill in Parliament.
In an interview to a national television channel, opposing the bifurcation of the State, Chief Minister said, around 80 MPs, MlAs and MlCs will be forced to review their future if the government moves the bill in the Parliament. But the State Congress President Botsa Satynarayana hoped that the Chief Minister will not take such an action. “At the time of the Congress Working Committee taking a decision to divide Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister had said that a collective decision will be taken on resignations”.
Two State ministers from Seemandhra region TG Venkatesh and E Pratap Reddy also dismissed the reports about CM’s resignation as “mere speculations”. In a reflection of the growing tension and frustration among the people over changing positions of parties and politicians, two Telangana youths committed suicide and a supporter of united Andhra Pradesh tried self-immolation.