The Seemandhra Congress leaders seem to be a divided lot these days. While Union Ministers from Seemandhra appear to have reconciled to the fact that Telangana is a reality, the ruling party MLAs and MLCs believe that if they continue to put pressure on the High Command, there was a possibility that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government might put on hold the decision to divide the state.
Because of their proximity with the central government, the Union Ministers have realized that bifurcation is inevitable. The Centre has been expediting the process for bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
The Seemandhra MPs are now readying to negotiate for a good financial package for the region and to ensure that issues like river-water and revenue sharing, government jobs and education are sorted out amicably.
The Ministers have decided to meet in New Delhi soon to work out on a report that they intend to submit to the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the Centre to work out the modalities of bifurcation and creation of Telangana state.
The Union Minister Daggubati Purandeswari, who submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following the decision to divide the state, has already admitted that the bifurcation of the state seemed inevitable after the Union Cabinet accepted the Home Ministry’s note on Telangana.
Stating that she would indeed be happy if the state remained united, she said indications, however, were clear that the state was headed for division.
Purandeswari said it was futile fighting for a united Andhra Pradesh now, and instead, leaders and people from the region should be practical and focus their attention on getting the best package possible.
“It’s time now to come up with ways to safeguard the interest of Seemandhra region,” she said.
