KCR seeks time-bound formula for T state

Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday demanded a ‘time-bound’ formula for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and added that he would seek the cooperation of all parties to press for the introduction of a Bill on separate Telangana statehood in Parliament.

Talking to media persons after emerging out of Parliament Hall, the TRS chief accused the Centre of adopting ‘delaying tactics’ on taking a decision on the formation of Telangana state. He said that the Centre was acting ‘irresponsibly’, despite the fact that Telangana region remained paralysed due to the 48-hour bandh call given by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee and the widespread participation of the people to the noncooperation agitation.

He appealed to Centre to announce a time-bound formula for creating a separate Telangana state and urged the Union Government to make efforts in this direction.

Earlier, the TRS chief had sought the Speaker’s permission to introduce an Adjournment motion on Telangana state on the Floor of Parliament during Zero Hour. KCR revealed that Speaker Meira Kumar had agreed to allow time for the contentious issue of Telangana statehood for discussion on the Floor of the House on Wednesday. He threatened to stage a dharna in front of Speaker’s podium the issue was not taken up for discussion on Wednesday.

KCR also urged Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to raise the Telangana statehood issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, instead of washing his hands off the issue by saying that any decision would be at the discretion of the Centre. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy had on Tuesday said that the state government is powerless and the Telangana issue is at the discretion of the Centre, during his reply to the Motion of Thanks to Governor ESL Narasimhan’s Address.

The TRS chief further said that he would announce the future course of action to sustain and intensify pressure on the separate statehood issue after discussing it with TPJAC constituents soon.

Meanwhile, TRS MP Vijayashanthi lashed out at the Congress for not proposing the Telangana Bill in Parliament. She warned that the state would witness a demonstration similar to the one which toppled the three-decade rule of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, if Centre fails to introduce the Telangana Bill.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj stated in the House that BJP would extend unconditional support to the Telangana Bill if the UPA government introduces it.

Ms Swaraj insisted that the Bill for the formation of the separate Telangana state should be tabled in the ongoing Budget Session itself and her party would help in its passage.

The issue was raised by several Congress members from the state on the floor of the House. Congress MPs Ponnam Prabhakar and Manda Jagganadham were seen trying to raise the issue immediately after Question Hour.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy was forced to consult Congress president Sonia Gandhi after his efforts to pacify them failed.

The Congress MPs however took their seats after Speaker Meira Kumar assured them that they would be allowed to raise the issue later.