Speaker to decide on Telangana MPs' resignations soon

Jaipal Reddy meets the prime minister, presses for separate Telangana.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today said a decision on the resignation of 13 MPs from the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh would be taken before the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on August 1.

While addressing a press conference in Delhi, she said it was sad that the MPs felt compelled to resign. The Speaker, however, added she was studying the resignation letters and a decision would be taken soon.

Simultaneously, Petroleum Minister and senior Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh, S Jaipal Reddy, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is understood to have pressed for a separate Telangana.

Reddy represents the Chelvela Lok Sabha seat in Telangana.

At his meeting with the Prime Minister, Reddy explained the situation in Hyderabad and nine other districts in the Telangana region in the wake of the statehood demand that had resurfaced.

For the first time since the beginning of July when the demand for Telangana resurfaced, Reddy is believed to have conveyed to the Prime Minister that carving out a separate state appeared to be the only solution.

“This is between me and my Prime Minister. I have expressed the view clearly and unambiguously. However, as a Cabinet minister I will not be able to disclose what I mentioned to the Prime Minister,” he said.

He said everybody was worried about the Telangana situation.

“I did not discuss the question of the President’s rule at all. I only conveyed my assessment of the situation,” he said.

The Speaker was asking question about whether the resignations were voluntary or was it her impression that it was all a political drama.

“The resignations are under my examination. There are rules that govern MPs’ resignation. I will follow those,” she said.

Asked whether she would allow the MPs to raise the Telangana issue in the Lok Sabha, Kumar said, “I always allow MPs to speak in the House, but not from the Well.”

On whether she expected a tumultuous monsoon session, she said “I do not mind having a tumultuous House. But House should not be adjourned. The business of the House should be transacted and Question Hour should not be disrupted.”

The 13 MPs include nine from the Congress party and two each from the Telugu Desam Party and Telangana Rashtra Samiti.