“PR polls will not come in way of decision on ‘T’ issue”

Flurry of activity in Delhi as leaders from both regions meet the AICC leader

Elections to panchayat raj institutions will not come in the way of the Congress leadership announcing a decision on the Telangana issue, AICC general secretary told party leaders from Andhra Pradesh in New Delhi on Friday.

A decision would be announced in a week or two, he reportedly told Rajya Sabha members – Palvai Goverdhan Reddy and V. Hanumantha Rao, and wondered whether a decision would have a bearing on the panchayat elections.

Apart from them, Seemandhra leaders N. Raghuveera Reddy, Minister, and Ananta Venkatarami Reddy, MP, met Mr. Singh and pleaded against bifurcation of the State. Significantly, TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram called on the AICC leader along with a delegation in tow.

Some senior Congressmen are reportedly interacting with TJAC leaders in the ruling party’s efforts to take the latter into confidence before making the crucial announcement. The Congress wants to convey its commitment to these leaders as it finds TJAC as a representative body of employees and other sections.

At the same time, the ruling party wants to enhance its bargaining capacity as and when it decides to start a dialogue with TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao for possible merger of his party with the Congress.

It is worried that KCR may make unreasonable demands if the Congress goes all out to woo him with the merger offer without doing proper homework.

A PCC functionary said they it more comfortable to deal with Prof. Kodandaram than the TRS leaders. They expect him to play a key role once the Congress moves closer to taking a decision on Telangana.

A dampener

Meanwhile, PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana left for New Delhi in anticipation of the Telangana issue figuring at the Core Committee meeting on Friday evening. But, his hopes were belied as Telangana was not discussed and neither were Mr. Singh nor Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad invited to the meeting.

Political calculations

It is understood that Mr. Satyanarayana wants to avoid submitting his views on bifurcation of the State in writing to the AICC as he has his own political calculations.

He wants to make an oral presentation as and when he is invited along with Chief Minister Kiran Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Raj Narasimha for discussion on Telangana.

Special package

The Chief Minister is said to be preparing a report in support of united Andhra Pradesh and a special financial package for Telangana, while Mr. Raj Narasimha will stick to his known stand on division of the State into two.