What comes next is Congresss headache

With non-Telangana MPs expressing fears about the possibility of Maoists gaining ground in a separate Telangana state,Congress president Sonia Gandhi told them today that she was waiting for inputs from the government and a decision would taken in everybodys interest. She had called these MPs after some,including L Rajagopal and Anantha Venkatarami Reddy,threatened to resign. She told them that no resignation would be accepted.

The Congress leadership was also said to be upset over attempts by some non-Telangana legislators,who had earlier campaigned for the installation of Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy as Chief Minister,to destabilise the Rosaiah government in the state,especially at a time when the party was trying to douse the Telangana fires.

Its decision to get an Assembly resolution on Telangana was aimed at defusing the immediate political crisis created by TRS chief Raos indefinite fast. It would give the party a breather to decide the next course of action. Threats of resignation by non-Telangana legislators,however,threatened another crisis by whipping up passions in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. It was in this context that Gandhi clarified that nobodys resignation would be accepted.

Sensing the Congress dilemma,the BJP sought to corner the government in Lok Sabha,demanding a statement from it on the process it proposed to follow for creation of a separate Telangana state. While congratulating the Speaker and government for intervening in the Andhra situation,Leader of Opposition L K Advani said it was Constitutionally not necessary to get an Assembly resolution to create a separate state.

But it is good if it is done. The government should tell the process how to form the 29th State. A lot many things have to be done. By when will it be done? said Advani,urging the government to take the House into confidence.

Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee responded that all the procedures will be followed. If there is any information from the state,we will inform the House today or tomorrow, he said.

Congress sources said the Core Group met twice on Wednesday and decided to initiate the process given the ostensible consensus shown by all political parties while expressing concern about Raos health and urging the Centre to intervene.

Congress sources said the Core Group was of the view that moving an Assembly resolution would force other parties to take a clear stand in the Assembly. The unease in the TDP camp today validated this assessment.

As a large number of MLAs from other regions are opposing it,it looks difficult how the resolution could get a majority to pass it, a senior Congress leader said.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said unlike other parties,the Congresss stance had been consistent as the party always maintained it was not opposed to the creation of a Telangana state provided there was political consensus.

Asked about the party stance on the demand for inclusion of Hyderabad in a Telangana state,Singhvi said: The question of Hyderabad is nitty-gritty. We have to first get a resolution in the state Assembly. Suppose there is any other scenario at the stage of resolution,we dont have to come to the nitty-gritty.

Asked about the Congress view on similar demands for statehood from other regions of the country,Singhvi said: The decision taken yesterday has no similarity or equivalence and is in no way related to decisions in respect of other states,regions in India. These matters are unrelated and different.