T Cong Leaders Launch Telangana Fast

Caught between the all-powerful Congress High Command on one side and their rapidly eroding credibility on the other, Congress legislators from Telangana on Wednesday put on a defiant attitude and converged en masse at Indira Park in Hyderabad to launch their 48-hour hunger strike.

The large number of legislators, including the ones who made it a point to be present at the hunger camp site, crossed 70 at last count.

The number of the legislators assumed importance in the backdrop of the Congress High Command directing Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana to persuade them to withdraw their resignations and also prevent them from taking further part in the statehood agitation.

The presence of the Congress leaders in violation of the High Command's diktat is a pointing reminder that their political future hinges on whether the Centre takes a quick and positive decision on the contentious separate statehood demand.

By making it a point to be present at the hunger fast camp, the Telangana Congress leaders are not only attempting to project that they do not lag behind the TDP and the Telangana Political JAC in their fight for Telangana, but also to show to the people that they are, at least publicly, not in a mood to listen to the High Command.

The Congress legislators have been targeted by the TDP and the TPJAC, which have accused them of not doing anything for the agitation except for resigning from their posts.

The TDP has pointed out that the Congress leaders who have resigned are also participating in official programs and discharging their duties.

The TDP has also alleged the Congress leaders have been gradually disassociating themselves from the agitation following the pressure mounted on them by the High Command and the sustained persuasions to withdraw their resignations.

Meanwhile, according to sources, some Telangana Congress leaders are not satisfied by the display of defiance in launching the hunger strike, and want to move a step further - they want to file a complaint against the party In-Charge of Andhra Pradesh Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad over his comments in Beijing that a unanimous resolution of Assembly is necessary for the formation of Telangana.

This particular section is believed to have seized on Azad's comments as manna from heaven, and is trying to project them as 'very serious', to the High Command.

Besides, with speculation that the High Command is considering 3 options to solve the issue, and with Seemandhra leaders heading to New Delhi on July 17 to press for the Samaikhya Andhra demand, the Congress leaders from Telangana have made it a point to make their presence felt at the hunger fast camp. (INN)