While the Government continued to grope for ways to complete the legislative process for the formation of Telangana, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved the draft Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Bill for consideration on February 12.
Meanwhile, supporters of united Andhra Pradesh (AP) suffered one more setback when the Supreme Court (SC) rejected nine petitions challenging the move to split the State. Notwithstanding opposition from within the Congress and outside, the Cabinet cleared the Telangana Bill to be introduced in Parliament on February 12. The controversial Bill will be presented in Rajya Sabha in the present form and the Government will move 32 amendments when it is taken up for consideration.
Congress sources said the party is confident of at least introducing the Bill in the RS and leaving it if the House cannot be brought to order for its passage. “This could be a face saver for the party and the Government. Senior leaders have been working on it and they are confident that the Bill would be introduced next week in the RS,” top party sources said. The proposed legislation does not provide for grant of Union Territory (UT) status to Hyderabad despite demands, but the Government will announce a special package for Rayalaseema and north coastal AP to address concerns of the people there.
The Cabinet cleared the Bill after a special meeting which was followed by a meeting of the Congress Core Group headed by party president Sonia Gandhi. AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who is in-charge of AP, was also present. At the Cabinet meeting, NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who had earlier made a strong pitch for Telangana, questioned whether the law and order powers being given to the Governor were according to the Constitution. Although he endorsed the Bill, he wanted to know what was being done for the new capital of Seemandhara, sources said. He was told that all the expenses would be taken care of by the Centre.
Union HRD Minister Pallam Raju who, along with colleagues from Seemandhara, has been opposing division of the State, unsucessfully batted for UT status for Hyderabad. TDP members disrupted proceedings for the third consecutive day leading to three adjournments. However on Friday, only TDP members were seen protesting the bifurcation of the State while Congress members who were together with the TDP protesting in the Well of the House for the last two days, stayed away.
A division bench comprising Justice Hl Dattu and SA Bobde refused to stay the tabling of the Bill and issue any direction to the Centre. The bench said it would be premature on its part to intervene in the matter. Reacting to the SC's decision, one of the petitioners, Telugu Desam leader P Keshav said he would move another petition. “I am confident that there is merit in our arguments against the process of bifurcation. That is why the SC heard our arguments for one-and-a-half-hours today”, he said.
While the Telangana issue continued to rock Parliament, all eyes were focused on AP Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy who remains adamant in his opposition to Telangana. Angered by his defiance, public protest in the Capital and also declining several invitations for discussions with central leaders, the party High Command has started exploring the option of a change in leadership in AP. Sources said Reddy has been given indications by central leaders that he would be eased out.
“The other alternative is either to find a new leader or impose President's Rule as the administration has been paralyzed,” a senior party leader opposed to Reddy said. Reddy himself is planning to quit the moment the Union Government introduces the Bill in Parliament next week. He has already dared the Centre to introduce the Bill in Parliament in its present form. “If that happens I will quit”, he had told the media recently. On Friday, Reddy was closeted with Congress leaders from Seemandhara to plan the future course of action. Sources said he is not averse to the idea of floating a new party.
“Apart from quitting the Chief Minister's post, he will also resign from the primary membership of the Congress”, sources in Reddy's camp said. Meanwhile, Telugu Desam president Chandrababu Naidu, who returned after a countrywide campaign organized to mobilize support against the division of AP alleged the Congress, YSR Congress Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi have joined hands to divide the State.