Point of no return,say Telangana leaders

Statehood only way out of stalemate caused by mass resignations

Congress: In a corner

If we withdraw our resignations,we will be seen as traitors. Even if the Centre gives a guarantee (on statehood without a time frame),it may be difficult for us. People are demanding that we go back to them only when the state is declared. The only way out is for the PM or Sonia Gandhi to announce that they will introduce a bill on Telangana in the next Parliament session.

K Jana Reddy,Panchayati Raj Minister

The ruling party is in a catch-22 situation; the party is against bifurcation but leaders from the region have been forced to plunge into the agitation for fear of losing their base. Unlike last time,the resignations are in the proper format,and all say their decision is final. Having passed a resolution authorising Sonia Gandhi to take a decision,Congress leaders are fighting within. New PCC chief Botsa Satynarayana is from Coastal Andhra and supports a united Andhra but stresses he would go with whatever the high command says. His predecessor D Srinivas supports the statehood cause but was helpless amid the high commands silence. The pro-Telangana camp of 50 MLAs is led by 15 ministers. The united Andhra camp is led by Lagadapati Rajagopal,MP. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is walking a tightrope between the camps.

TRS: Successful ploy

Even if it takes a few months,

there is no question of taking back our resignations. We have been demanding this for so long. Now that Congress and TDP MLAs and MPs have finally resigned,we feel it is time the Congress high command took a final decision and announced the creation of a Telangana state. I think that is the one and only way out of this situation.

K Chandrasekhara Rao,TRS president

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti,whose support base fluctuated in its early years,is now on a stronger plank than ever,having successfully pushed Congress and TDP leaders into a corner. TRS leaders had effectively roused public sentiment against Congress lawmakers from the region,who found it difficult to enter their constituencies without facing protests from their supporters for not resigning in support of Telangana. The TRS had been taunting both Congress and TDP MLAs and MPs,saying they were not committed to the cause. The mass resignation from both parties has left the TRS confident. The Congress high command and the Centre will eventually have to announce the state, says K T Rama Rao,son of the TRS chief. Incidentally,after the TRSs MLAs had quit last year,the party contested bypolls and won these seats back.

TDP: Back and forth

The decision to resign is final. Why do you think TDP MLAs took the initiative even before their Congress counterparts? We are more committed to the cause than the Congress. Our resignations will not have much impact on the government but we have done it to prove our commitment and put pressure on the Centre. We will not withdraw until state is declared.

Nagam Janardhan Reddy,Founder,Telangana TDP Forum

The Telugu Desam Party remains caught in a web largely of its own creation. The party has kept changing its stand on Telangana. Its president N Chandrababu Naidu once rooted for a united Andhra,then decided to support the statehood movement,and later qualified that by saying any decision should be subject to a national consensus. The May 2009 elections showed the partys large base in Telangana,where it won 39 seats,but it also won over 40 seats in coastal Andhra. This puts it in a catch-22 situation; it cannot support either cause without offending supporters of the other. When Naidu dithered over taking a strong pro-Telangana stand,party legislators formed the Telangana TDP Forum led by Nagam Janardhan Reddy,who was suspended but whose forum remains a strong arm within the TDP.