Congress likely to give final stamp of approval to Telangana today after UPA meet

NEW DELHI: The decision to grant statehood to Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh is likely to get the Congress’ final stamp of approval on Tuesday evening, after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi get an endorsement from the party’s allies in the ruling coalition.

The party has called a meeting of its highest decision-making body, Congress Working Committee, at 5.30 pm on July 30, an hour and a half after the meeting of the UPA coordination committee at the prime minister’s residence. This will pave the way for a formal announcement, a Congress leader said, adding that the government will move a Cabinet note thereafter and get the Cabinet’s nod within this week.

Even as the decision will spell a closure to the long-pending demand, Congress leaders from the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions remain opposed to the decision. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy may well put in his papers if the party decides to go ahead with dividing the state, a minister said. Reddy on Monday held a meeting with ministers TG Venkatesh, Erasu Pratap Reddy, Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, GS Rao, MP Ananta Venkatarami Reddy and a few MLAs and MLCs who are opposed to the bifurcation.

“That (Reddy’s resignation) is a certainty,” Venkatesh said, even as he added, “No decision has been taken yet (by the high command). We hope they will not take an overnight decision.” He added: “If ( TDP chief) Chandrababu Naidu and (YSRC honorary president) Vijayamma give a single line letter that they are for a unified state, we will see that nothing happens.”

The onus is more on the Union ministers and MPs from Andhra and Rayalaseema to prevent division of the state, Venkatesh said. All state ministers have given a letter to the high command, stating they will not continue in their posts if a decision is taken to divide the state, he added. “Our resignation is not an issue but keeping Andhra Pradesh united is. If at all the state is divided, it will create new problems and demands. Already, the demand for Gorkhaland has started,” he pointed out, referring to the 72-hour bandh call given in the region. “Similar demands will come up in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir,” he added.

The home ministry has rushed 1,000 paramilitary personnel to AP to deal with any law and order situation, a person familiar with the matter said, adding that the additional forces are expected to be deployed in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.