The Union Cabinet’s clearing the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh drew diametrically opposite reactions, mostly on expected lines.
A 48-hour bandh call was given by the AP Non-Gazetted Officers Organisations, that spearheaded the 65-day-old agitation. It is targeting Central establishments and banks in the Seemandhra region. “We also demand the resignation of all Ministers and legislators in support of a united State,” demanded Ashok Babu, its President.
The move was welcomed in the Telangana region, though K. Chandrasekhara Rao, President of the Telangana Rastra Samithi, asked the people to be cautious till the process is completed. Senior Congress leader D. Srinivas reiterated that his party was fulfilling its promise of creating a separate State.
YSR Congress Party President Jaganmohan Reddy expressed anguish at the Cabinet decision. He asked the 25 MPs from Seemandhra to resign and pressure the Government, while announcing a 72-hour protest bandh.
Earlier in the day, speculation over the T-note drafted by the Home Ministry for consideration by the Union Cabinet set off a chain of protests across Seemandhra districts. With mixed signals emanating from New Delhi, groups of agitators in several places tried to lay siege to the homes of Union Ministers and local Congress leaders.
The residences of Botcha Satyanarayana, President of the State Pradesh Congress Committee, Union Ministers Panabaka Lakshmi, Kishore Chandra Deo and D. Purandeswari, and MPs Lagadapati Rajagopal, Sai Pratap and Chinta Mohan were also targeted. There was public pressure on Union Ministers Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, Chiranjeevi and Pallam Raju to support a united Andhra Pradesh and fight for issues confronting Seemandhra. In the State Capital, fissures within the Seemandhra Congress camp came to the fore. A group of Ministers and legislators, including T.G. Venkatesh, J.C. Divakar Reddy and Gade Venkat Reddy, met Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and discussed further moves, including their possible resignation and opposing the motion in the Legislative Assembly, whenever it was tabled.
Sources said the Chief Minister held that the party was also important. He hoped the High Command would not go forward without considering the report of the Antony Committee, which is addressing concerns of the Seemandhra region.
About 45 persons, including MPs, legislators and State Ministers from the region attended. A good number of them favoured en masse resignation to put pressure on the Centre.
Among the notable absentees at the meeting were PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, Kanna Laxminarayana and Dokka Manikya Varaprasad.
somasekhar.m@thehindu.co.in