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Congress says no to Prez rule in Andhra
Amid concern over the widespread protests in parts of Andhra Pradesh, the UPA brass engaged in hectic parleys here on Saturday to defuse the Telangana crisis. Top Congress sources told HT that this consultation process would continue and the party was yet to arrive at a possible solution. Saubhadra Chatterji reports.
Amid concern over the widespread protests in parts of Andhra Pradesh, the UPA brass engaged in hectic parleys here on Saturday to defuse the Telangana crisis. Top Congress sources told HT that this consultation process would continue and the party was yet to arrive at a possible solution.
The Congress core committee may meet in a day or two to discuss the Telangana crisis in the presence of party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Party leaders also ruled out imposition of President's rule in the state even as governor ESL Narasimhan met PM Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram to discuss the crisis. Andhra chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and his deputy on Saturday met Chidambaram, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, defence minister AK Antony and in-charge of the Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Both Azad and the Kiran Reddy denied possibilities of President's rule. "Why should we head for President's rule?" asked Azad.
Party sources said after holding consultations within the party, an all-party meeting would be held to discuss the issue.
"While taking any decision on Telangana, we need to keep the larger picture in mind…about its possible effect on other parts of the country," said a Congress leader.
Mukherjee and Chidambaram also met MoS for HRD D Purandeswari and MoS for Defence MM Pallam Raju. Reddy said he had given his "frank assessment". Actor Chiranjeevi is heading to New Delhi to meet the UPA brass.
Even as the state plans to make alternative arrangements to tackle the power crisis, the Telangana Joint Action Committee said it would not call off the strike and added that the three-day 'rail-roko' programme will be launched from October 12, as planned.
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