Cong undecided on Telangana

Unlikely to take a decision by January 28

Even as Telangana activists stepped up their agitation in Hyderabad for a separate state, the ruling Congress party at Centre is still undecided on the issue. On Thursday, party president Sonia Gandhi had another round of discussions with senior party leaders in the capital, but no decision was taken.

Yesterday, too, the Congress president had held inconclusive meetings with senior leaders including Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who had announced last month that a decision would be taken by January 28.

With the Lok Sabha elections as well as the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections slated for 2014, the Telangana issue will be a deciding factor for Congress’ fortunes in the state.

“Consultations are still on and will continue,” Renuka Chowdhury told reporters, when asked about today’s meeting. Meanwhile, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the state supporting both sides, Telangana and Seemandhra, have been lobbying with senior Congress leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union health minister and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary incharge of the state, and Vayalar Ravi, Union minister for overseas Indian affairs and AICC observer.

Azad’s statement yesterday that a decision ‘may be delayed’ had already fuelled widespread agitations in Andhra Pradesh with Telangana activists threatening a shut down of Hyderabad.

When asked when the Centre would take a decision as the deadline announced by Shinde was fast approaching, Azad said, “When one says tomorrow, it does not mean tomorrow morning. When one says one week, sometimes it is two weeks.”

Congress’ quandary stems from the fears that any decision could mar its prospects in the upcoming polls. What is also critical is the fact that Congress gets the maximum seats from Andhra Pradesh — 33 of the 42 MP seats are with the Congress. With Telangana Rashtra Samithi and YSR Congress Party already causing a headache for the Congress.