Hyderabad:
K Chandrasekhar Rao, the man behind the Telangana storm, has declared: "There is no more a state called Andhra Pradesh."
In every indication that calling off a 48-hour bandh is only a festive concession and not to be mistaken for a step down, KCR said those in support of a separate Telangana state would now "launch a non-cooperation movement".
But he had a plea: "I appeal to the prime minister not to drag the issue. A lot of blood has been sacrificed and you see how we are all united breaking party barriers. Don't beat our students, don't fire at them." He also requested all ministers from Telangana to quit, lashing out at the Andhra chief minister saying it was "unethical for Rosaiah to continue.
Rejecting the Centre's plan to set up a state reorganization committee to look into the formation of new states, KCR said, "A state reorganisation commission will not be acceptable. It will be an insult to the people of Telangana."
The TRS chief's words come a day after the Centre went back on its promise that it would begin the process for carving out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh. The Centre's statement yesterday that the situation had changed since its midnight announcement a few weeks ago and that it would now look for consensus on the matter saw KCR resign as MP and declare that he had been "betrayed."
It was the TRS chief's hunger strike in support of a separate Telangana that kicked off the crisis. The Centre, worried over KCR's health at the end of 11 days of fasting had hurriedly okayed a new state. Within hours of that announcement, anti-Telangana protests began and MLAs across parties and from the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions began first resigning putting the ruling Congress in a spot.