In its determination to divide the state at any cost, the UPA government has not given up the option of imposing President's rule in Andhra Pradesh to ensure smooth process of bifurcation and creation of Telangana state.
The Congress has dropped hints to this effect on Thursday when its Spokesman P C Chacko said that the President's rule would be their "last weapon".
"There is a democratically elected government in Andhra Pradesh and it is the responsibility of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government to ensure law and order," Chacko said.
He said that the option of central rule was a last weapon in their hands to restore order in the state.
"We have asked the state government to take all possible steps to maintain peace and order and to see that the strike is called off. The people are suffering because of the shutdown and disruptions to the essential services," the AICC leader said.
"Only when the situation becomes unmanageable for the state government, the Centre will step in," he said, indicating that the option was very much open.
The anxiety of the UPA government is understandable as it is racing against time to deliver the promise on Telangana state.
The Group of Ministers (GoM) is yet to commence its work and even if it moves at rocket speed, it looks a difficult task to complete the process of the Telangana state formation before the next elections.
The Centre is also grappling with the rebellion by its own Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy who has vowed to do everything in his command to stall the division process. He has also asserted time and again that he would ensure the defeat of the Telangana resolution whenever it comes up before the Assembly.
In this backdrop, the Centre will be left with no option other than invoking Article 356 and bring AP under central rule.
