'Chidambaram can't target TDP on Telangana'

Hyderabad: Telugu Desam leaders from the Telangana and Andhra regions urged Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday not to target the TDP or its president N Chandrababu Naidu on Telangana statehood demand, saying that it was the responsibility of the central government to take a decision as the party had already made its stand clear on the issue.

Chidambaram had told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that of the eight major parties in the state, four - Congress, TDP, YSR Congress and MIM had not stated their position on Telangana. Of the other four, three - TRS, BJP and CPI spoke in favour of state’s bifurcation while the CPM opposed it.

Speaking to reporters here, Telangana Telugu Desam Forum (TTDF) convener E Dayakar Rao demanded introduction of a bill on Telangana in Parliament.

"The TDP will issue a whip and ask its five MPs to vote for it in tune with the commitment made by the Politburo. Two-thirds of the members of Lok Sabha are in favour Telangana and it is now the responsibility of the Centre to carve out the new state. Let us declare the parties which vote against the bill as Telangana drohi only then."

Dayakar Rao said that they were not going back on resignations and they would hold a round table and bring pressure on all the parties to resubmit resignations once the Assembly speaker returned from his foreign tour.

Accusing the Congress of dragging the issue for seven years, he said Chidambaram was issuing contradictory and confusing statements as the home minister and as Congress leader. Consensus was a myth as there could be no unanimity on keeping the state united or dividing it, he asserted.

Politburo member K Yerran Naidu recalled that the Congress had taken several decisions, including on reviving the State Legislative Council, without consulting the opposition. Likewise, it should take a decision on Telangana.

"We opposed price rise but the Centre did not respect our views. But, it is now insisting on our views on Telangana. "Ignoring these facts and blaming the TDP is not correct," he remarked.