New Delhi:
The Centre has indicated that it will take the Telangana proposal forward without running it by the Andhra Pradesh assembly first, in the face of unrelenting protests in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
"We are preparing a note to pass a resolution in the Cabinet. After we finalise the note, it will be sent to the Law Ministry for legal vetting. I hope the note will be presented before the Cabinet within 20 days," said Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today.
Sources say this is a significant departure from the earlier plan to get the approval of the state assembly before it went to the cabinet, perhaps reflecting the government's reluctance to let protests stall the decision announced in July.
The cabinet is expected to refer the proposal to a group of ministers, which will examine concerns on sharing water, land, electricity and revenue. The draft Bill will be sent to the state assembly.
Both Houses of Parliament will have to pass the Bill by a simple majority for the creation of a separate state.
The home minister's announcement came on a day verbal clashes erupted between Congress and TDP members over Telangana, leading to a complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker about the use of abusive language in Parliament.
The squabble began after the lower house was adjourned over the suspension of five Congress and four TDP MPs for incessantly disrupting proceedings with their protests against the decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
On spotting a TDP MP wearing a mask of Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister and mother-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, furious Congress MPs Sandeep Dikshit and Madhu Goud Yaskhi reportedly walked across and got into an argument with TDP members.
"They disrespected our leaders Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi," said Mr Yaskhi.
Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj later complained to the Speaker against the two Congress members.