Telangana headache for Congress increases

Congress now looking at introducing a bill on seperate Telangana in Winter session beginning Dec 5

The Telangana headache for the Congress party refuses to go away with the party now looking at introducing a bill on a separate Telangana in the Winter session beginning December 5. While the bifurcation of the state and the equitable distribution of resources itself is a major challenge, what is causing a bigger worry for the Congress, its leaders confess is the “political management” of its own party men – the Andhra MPs and more importantly its chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Reddy, who has openly been opposing the setting up Telangana, has practically turned rebel against his own party’s decision. 

 

The government which had set up a GoM, to look into all aspects of bifurcation and how to ensure that “no group feels disgruntled” as was said by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde - will be meeting for possibly the last time on November 27th. After that the UPA has a very small window, to frame the bill place it before Cabinet and table it in time for the Winter session. In the meanwhile, it will also have to place it before the Andhra Assembly. 

 

A senior Congeress leader admits. “More than the statutory procedures it is the political management of our own leaders that is a bigger worry.” As it is several Andhra Union ministers have tendered in their resignation and are not attending office. HRD minister Pallam Raju has recently said that he has decided to go back to work”at the insistence of the Prime Minister.”  

 

Also of concern to the Congress high command, is the Congress CM Kiran Kumar Reddy with insiders speculating that he might soon form his own political outfit. Rumours within the party are rife that very soon he could be replaced to ease the process of bifurcation. 

 

As it is, the deep divide within the Andhra Congress MPs over Telangana has forced the Congress to take steps like “sidelining” of its spokeperson Renuka Chowdhury who was vocal against the creation of Telanagana. 

     

The Congress is acutely aware of the electoral losses that it would have to contend with come 2014, post the creation of Telangana but adding to its complications is not just other parties like the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti; the YSR Congress of Jagan Mohan Reddy and Chandra babu Naidu’s TDP -  but its own Congress MPs and MLAs. 

 

The GoM headed by Hom,e Minister Shinde has already completed the process of discussions with various stake holders and expedited the process of preparing the final report and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill.