This Article is From Jan 05, 2010

Telangana: No consensus at all-party meeting

New Delhi: A crucial meeting on the Telangana issue,called by Home Minister P Chidambaram, has ended in a stalemate, butall the eight political parties that met him have agreed to work onbuilding a consensus. Chidambaram will now meet Prime Minister ManmohanSingh to brief him about the meeting.

After the meeting, the eight recognized Andhra Pradesh parties issued a joint statementappealing for peace and harmony in the state, which has seen muchstrife and violence over the carving out of a separate Telangana state.

The statement said the parties had "expressed our views and theCentre has taken note." But as party leaders emerged from the meeting,it was clear that they were no closer to a consensus than they had beenwhen they walked in.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS)refused to react immediately after, with party leader K T Rama Raosaying his father and party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao would speak onlyafter meeting Chidambaram. "KCR is now waiting for Chidambaram to givea final statement and only after that will he speak." Rao said. KCR isin Delhi and scheduled to meet Chidambaram on Tuesday.

But other parties were more forthcoming. Andhra Pradesh Chief MinisterK Rosaiah said the situation in the state was under control, butactor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi seemed to sum up the mood when hesaid: "Andhra is in crisis. We suggested the government form acommittee, first maintain peace, we are for united Andhra. (We are)happy the government invited all parties, but unsatisfied as they (thehome minister/ministry) didn't open their mouths." (Watch: Not happy with the meeting, says Chiranjeevi)

CongressMP K S Rao, who represented the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema factionwithin the party, said modalities for a roadmap on the Telangana issuewere discussed. He said there was a suggestion to institute a mechanismfor this, but some parties said there was no need for it.

Atthe meeting, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which is against aseparate Telangana state, said President's Rule should be imposed inAndhra Pradesh and a committee to discuss the issue further should beconstituted.

But the BJP said there was no need for furtherconsultations and the Centre should go ahead with Telangana. BJPspokesman Prakash Javdekar said: "We firmly support formation ofTelangana.The Congress is creating confusion on this issue. They shouldclarify whether they support Telangana or not."

The Home Minister had invited the parties to try and resolve theTelangana deadlock. Home Secretary G K Pillai was also part of thetalks. After the discussion, Chidambaram described it as a "goodmeeting."

The Home Minister had made an opening statement as the meeting beganthat asked for bandhs to stop and requested all parties to worktogether. (Read: Stop bandhs in Andhra Pradesh, says Chidambaram)

While talks were on inside, pro and anti-Telangana groups clashedoutside the meeting venue, just outside the home ministry office. Theyshouted "Jai Andhra" and "Jai Telangana" slogans. Such demonstrationsare unprecedented in the Capital's North Block. (Watch: Osmania unhappy, threatens more protests)

The fracas was but a public mirror of the way things are politically.

Andhra tense

To keep up the pressure on the Centre,protesters on both sides of the divide have decided to block road andrail traffic across Andhra Pradesh today.

The Railways havecancelled 88 trains including 39 passenger trains as authorities fearrailway property will be damaged if protesters try to stop trains.

Schools,colleges, banks, ATMs, hotels, theatres, shops and offices remainedclosed yesterday. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah is expectedto hold discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the homeminister to discuss the current crisis.

Who stands where
Let's now take a look at where the political parties stand with respect to statehood for Telangana:
  • The Congress and the TDP are a divided house.
  • TRS, the party spearheading the Telangana movement, the BJP and CPI are for a separate Telangana state 
  • Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam and CPM are for a unified Andhra Pradesh 
  • While the MIM is against a separate Telangana

Presidential reference

And reports suggest the Centre is contemplating a plan to seek Presidential reference to court over the Telangana deadlock.

Thegovernment is examining a proposal to seek Presidential reference tothe Supreme Court, to find a legal solution to the demand for aTelangana State.

The government feels, the issue is not only apolitical deadlock but also a legal one that could not be decided bythe government alone.

The legal sticking point is that that asAndhra Pradesh was formed as a Telugu-speaking state, and now dividingit into two or three states might pose several legal questions.

A look at how the Telangana crisis unfolded:

The Telanganacrisis began with TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao going on a fast untodeath on the 29th of November demanding a separate state.

On the 9th of December after the Centre announced a guarded yes to the creation of Telangana, KCR ended his fast.

Butthe very next day massive protests broke out in the coastal Andhra andRayalaseema regions against the bifurcation of the state.

On the14th of December MLAs cutting across party lines began resigning inprotest against Telangana demanding a unified Andhra Pradesh.

TheCentre did a U-turn saying no decision will be taken till wide-rangingdiscussions are held with all parties KCR cried foul accusing theCentre of betrayal and pro-Telangana protests break out again.

Theruling Congress is caught in a deep divide within its own ranks as 13ministers in the Rosaiah cabinet resign over the delay in formingTelangana.

And on December 30, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram invited all political parties from Andhra Pradesh for talks on January 5.
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