Zeenews Bureau
Hyderabad: Even as tensions rose in the state, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Friday found himself in a political storm as he said in Jammu that he thought Hyderabad "will always be the capital of Telangana".
The statement immediately led to strong reactions from pro-unity Andhra Pradesh MPs. “Can any secretary, clerk or SP make any comment and g et away with it,” Congress MP KS Rao asked.
As a result, Pillai had to retract his words. He said the status of Hyderabad would be decided in consensus. “It will be decided by the Government of India,” he added. His earlier statement also seemed to be in collision with the PM’s assurance to Andhra MPs that no decision will be taken in haste.
With the head-count of MLAs resigning touching 129, the Centre appeared to be in a damage-control mode over the decision to create a separate Telangana state as the rest of Andhra Pradesh observed a bandh that witnessed sporadic violence.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today received MPs from coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, who are opposed to the division of the state, and is said to have assured them that "nothing will be done in haste".
The MPs, including Ministers Pallam Raju, conveyed to the Prime Minister the "mood" of the people for a "united" Andhra Pradesh and that there was a "tremendous backlash" against the decision separate Telangana decision.
Facing the brunt of the non-Telangana anger in Congress, TDP and Praja Rajyam, Chief Minister K Rosaiah said in Hyderabad the resolution favouring a separate state would be moved in the Assembly at an "appropriate time" and he does not not have answers to questions on the time-frame for the purpose.
"I have been told by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram that they would advise me at an appropriate time on moving the Telangana resolution. So far I haven`t got any written or oral communication on moving the resolution," he told reporters.
The Chief Minister said he was constantly updating the party high command over the developments in the state in the aftermath of the Centre`s announcement on initiating the process for creation of Telangana state.
"Our leaders in New Delhi are trying to find out a suitable solution and resolve the crisis," Rosaiah said.
He said the Union Home Minister`s statement on Telangana has flared up tensions in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. "The Congress high command has taken note of it and discussing it seriously," he said.
On the MLAs` resignation, Rosaiah said: "As Chief Minister and a colleague, I am really worried over it. But the resignations have so far been not accepted. The Congress party has got a system to deal with such things. At an appropriate time the party will deal with this."
