Hyderabad: As speculation rages over creation of Telangana, tension is building up in Hyderabad with pro-statehood forces gearing up for a do-or-die `Telangana March` on Septmber 30 in defiance of the government ban.
Talk in political circles here say the Congress has been working on a twin-pronged strategy to address the Telangana statehood issue as well as the Jagan factor so as to safeguard its political fortunes in Andhra Pradesh.
Congress is said to be engaging TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao in talks in New Delhi as a prelude to making a formal announcement on Telangana.
Rao, who had been camping in the national capital since September 5, met Union Minister Vayalar Ravi three times in recent days and discussed these issues.
This fuelled speculation that the two parties were firming up a merger deal along with modalities for carving out the separate state though not a single word has been spoken officially by either side.
If at all this turns true, as anticipated, the Congress will become a formidable force in the Telangana region and hope to derive maximum mileage in terms of Lok Sabha seats (17) in 2014.
The other speculation is that the Congress would have a "tacit understanding" with the YSR Congress of Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.
Jagan has emerged as a mighty force in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions and the Congress as things stand now may be decimated if the recent bye-election are an indication.
The Congress`
target is to grab the majority of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra-Rayalaseema regiion in concert with the YSRC and leave Andhra Pradesh to Jagan.
Such stories spurred the political leaders in the two major parties, Congress and Telugu Desam, to launch an offensive and a counter-offensive for and against the bifurcation of AP.
While the Telangana Congress leaders wrote a letter to their party supremo Sonia Gandhi seeking an early decision on the statehood issue, those from Andhra-Rayalaseema sent out an open appeal for keeping the state united.
The political developments revolving around the statehood issue have put the TDP in a fix, divided as it is along regional lines. Despite many rounds of talks with his colleagues from the two regions, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu is unable to decide on whether or not to communicate the party stand afresh to the Centre.
He, however, asked the TDP rank and file to "be prepared" to accept any decision taken in the "party`s interest".
Now, all eyes are riveted on events of September 30.
PTI
