T-MPs exert pressure

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Six Congress MPs from Telangana region have set for themselves December 9 as the deadline for the Congress central leadership to make a favourable announcement on Telan-gana state, failing which they would quit the party and their membership to Parliament and join either the TRS or the YSR Congress.

The MPs’ decision was taken after their meetings late on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning.
According to reliable sources, while two MPs from Nalgonda Gutta Sukhender Reddy and Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy are inclined towards joining the YSRC, their colleagues, Madhu Yashki Goud, Ponnam Prabhakar, S. Rajaiah, Manda Jagannadham and G. Vivek are likely to join the TRS after December 9.

Incidentally, Mr Rajagopal Reddy, who is said to have almost finalised his decision to join the YSRC, did not attend the meetings despite being invited.

Sources said TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao had individually spoke to each Telangana Congress MP and invited them to join his party.

Mr Rao is believed to have been convincing them that the Congress high command was not going to concede Telanga-na state and the best it would offer was a Develo-pment Council for the reg-ion and declare one or two irrigation projects as nati-onal projects and grant fi-nancial assistance to them.
The TRS chief also reportedly told them it was not possible for the Congress T-MPs to remain in the party even after Centre refuses the T-state demand and it would be politically wise for them to join the TRS.

Sources said that some of the MPs have shown an inclination to join the TRS right away, but have decided to bide their time till December 9, after thoroughly discussing the pros and cons.

However, the MPs decided to stage a sit-in at the entrance of Parliament House on Thursday, the first day of the Winter Session and also raise the issue in Lok Sabha by demonstrating with the placards and raising slogans.

They have also decided to meet AICC leaders in a group to inform them about their decision to quit if no decision on Telangana is taken immediately.

Sources said that some MPs put forward an idea before Mr Rao to allow them to float a Telangana Congress Front to work with the TRS and the CPI till the 2014 elections. However, Mr Rao is believed to have told that this would not be such a great idea as it would mean contesting in the elections without a political party and symbol.

In a related development senior minister K. Jana Reddy met former MP K. Kesava Rao and discussed the issue.

Later in the day, Mr Rao went to the TRS chief’s residence house and held a lengthy meeting.
Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Kesava Rao said “If there was going to be no decision on Telangana state, we will decide our future course of action.”

He added that the T-Congress leaders have “imposed” a deadline on themselves to decide their political future.