TRS legislators stall AP Assembly

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS ) legislators on Wednesday stalled the proceedings of the state legislative assembly demanding an adjournment motion to pass a resolution in favour of a separate statehood for Telangana even as the party supporters in several districts of the region came out on roads holding 'rasta roko' and staged dharnas against the 'great betrayal' and in support of KCR's decision to resign from the Union ministry.

Spontaneous protests by students in Osmania University and other places were also reported along with incidents of 'rail roko' by protesters in Mahaboobnagar district resulting in trains getting delayed on certain routes.

The ruckus in the state assembly is expected to continue tomorrow also as the Speaker of the House relented from asking the treasury benches to move a motion for the suspension of the TRS legislators.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today strongly refuted the charges of 'betrayal' voiced by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and said the Congress party had always stood by its word on the issue of Telangana statehood.

However, with regard to the timing of an outcome, Reddy said two years was too short a time for coming out with a decision on an issue such as a separate statehood.

"We, as the Congress party, took a stand for the constitution of a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) to decide on the issue of Talangana, much before the emergence of TRS and it formed the basis for pre-electoral alliance between both the parties during the year 2004. So, there is no question of betraying anybody," Reddy said explaining his government's efforts to develop the Telangana region irrespective of political standpoints over the demand.

"We have left the final decision to our leader Sonia Gandhi on whether to opt for the separate statehood route or not. She will make up her mind only after taking into consideration all the issues involved with it. It may take a year or more. But, where is the question of betrayal by the Congress party," he pointed out, adding that it was the Congress legislators who first voiced the sentiments of the Telangana people on issues including a separate statehood, and not the other way round.

Reddy also stated that their leader was also considering whether the interests of the people of Telangana would be best served under the united Andhra Pradesh or under a separate statehood, while comparing the performance of the previous government led by the Telugu Desam and the present government in the state in addressing the issues of Telangana.