The Government has started developing cold feet on the formation of Telangana as protests in the Seemandhra region strengthen by the day.
The Group of Ministers, chaired by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, will have its first meeting on Friday, but the Government has not set a timeframe for concluding its deliberations.
The Congress party has also made it clear that though the decision on Telangana formation was irreversible, it had not set any deadline for completing the process.
Though the situation in the State has worsened, even the principal Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, did not demand President’s rule, but urged the Centre to expedite the process of reconciliation. The Congress has also ruled out President’s rule.
The BJP asked the Congress to put its house in order.
“The State has to be divided. Not the people. Congress wants to divide the people to derive political benefits,” BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said. He said the BJP was ready to suggest ways to complete the process of bifurcation without hurting the sentiments of people of both the regions.
“The Government did not do anything in the last nine-and-a-half years. Now, 68 days have passed since the decision by Congress Working Committee and not an inch has moved,” he added.
The reconstituted seven-member GoM will hold its first deliberations on the issue, without HRD Minister Pallam Raju. A.K Antony, who has been Congress’s chief negotiator, is in the panel.
Sources in the Congress indicated that the situation would be dealt with in a serious manner and a decision ahead of Winter session of Parliament was unlikely.
“Our first effort will be to talk to senior officials and leaders of both the regions,” a senior leader said.
Naidu fast
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party leader Chandrababu Naidu continued his hunger strike on the third day. To strengthen the sit-in protest, the party has asked all its MPs, MLAs and MLCs to reach Delhi. Naidu has already been issued with a notice to vacate the Andhra Bhavan premises, where he is holding the protest.
Though the Union Home Minister said his Ministry would not intervene in the matter, there is pressure on Delhi Police to arrest Naidu for security reasons.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the YSR Congress, led by Y.S. Vijayamma, met the President and sought his intervention to address the situation in the State.