In the backdrop of intense efforts by the Congress High Command to convince the party Legislators to rethink on their decision to resign over the separate statehood demand, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Saturday cautioned the Congress Legislators that they would be the object of ridicule by the people of Telangana if they go back on their word.
Welcoming the Congress Legislators’ decision, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA from Siddipet Harishwar Rao said that he was confident that the ruling party Legislators would not go back on their announced decision to quit on July 4 for the cause of Telangana. “But in case they do go back on their decision, their names will be written among the ‘characterless’ figures in the region’s history,” the TRS leader said. Mr Harishwar Reddy reminded that the Congress had fought the 2004 general elections with the TRS as its ally. Responding to the comments by Congress In-Charge of Andhra Pradesh Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad, the TRS MLA said that the party had already agreed in principle to the demand for separate Telangana but is now dithering on the issue. “The Congress leaders must remember that the separate statehood issue was existing and the TRS was fighting for Telangana at that time, as it is today. The issue was alive then, and is alive now. The main issue has not changed. By going ahead with the alliance, they had supported the issue of separate statehood. If they go back on their decisions, then it is nothing short of a betrayal,” the TRS MLA said. Mr Harishwar Rao added that if needed, the TRS MLAs would also resign in support of the Congress Legislators.