Telangana row: Congress firm on decision, Chandrababu Naidu to go on indefinite fast

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu threatened will be going on an indefinite fast against the Telangna division, reports stated.

Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar/Hemant Abhishek 8.25 pm: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu said he will be going on an indefinite fast in Delhi from Monday to demand the central government do justice to people of Seemandhra before taking any step to divide Andhra Pradesh. 7.20 pm: Notwithstanding resignations from Union ministers and intensified protests over Centre`s approval of Telangana, Congress put up a brave face declaring there was no question of backtracking on the "sensitive" issue. 6.30 pm: Minister of State for Railways, Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, resigns over Centre`s decision on Telangana.

5.45 pm: Noting that Centre took the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh ‘under inevitable circumstances’ Congress leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions have decided not to resign and instead exercise the "only option" left to prevent bifurcation — defeat the resolution on the subject in the Assembly, sources said here. 5.20 pm: CPI leader G Sudhakar Reddy said the decision on Telangana is a delayed one but the correct one nonetheless. He however asked Centre to assure people of Seemandhra and Rayalaseema that their issues will get priority and urged them to withdraw their agitation against creation of Telangana. 4.50 pm: Parts of Andhra Pradesh were plunged into darkness after employees of the Vijaywada Thermal Power Station who are protesting the division of the state shut six out of the seven units at the plant, reports stated. Vijaywada has been the centre of some of the most intense opposition to Centre`s plans to create Telangana.
4.10 pm: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the GoM on Telangana will make its recommendations within six weeks with the Telangana Bill likely to be introduced in Parliament in the winter session. The 10-member GoM headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram will look into the issues arising out of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, like determination of boundary, sharing of assets and river water, among others. 3.40 pm: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Botsa Satyanarayana`s house attacked in Vizianagaram - Reports 3.08 pm: Congress MLAs from Seemandhara, under the leadership of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy have decided not to resign from their posts. Instead, they will work to defeat the motion favouring creation of Telangana in the Andhra assembly, said reports. The decision was taken after ministers, MPs, MLCs and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema met at the CM’s camp office to discuss the developments following the Union Cabinet`s approval of bifurcation of the state and chart the way forward. 3 pm: Effigies of Congress leaders burnt by protesters in many cities including Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Anantapur and Kurnool. 2.35 pm: Protests in Seemandhara region natural, says Sushilkumar Shinde 2.25 pm: Seemandhara bandh: Sporadic incidents of public and private property, including offices of ruling Congress, being attacked have been reported from Srikakulam, Kadapa and Chittoor districts. 2.15 pm: A clash took place in Anantapur district between the workers of TDP and YSR Congress in the town. 2.10 pm: BJP gives full assurance about safety of Seemandhra people residing in Hyderabad. We always condemned hate-mongering statements by anyone, says state president G Kishan Reddy 1.16 pm: We are upset, because Telugu pride has been hurt that’s why I have to resign, says Rayapati Sambasiva Rao of the Congress 1.10 pm: Andhra Pradesh Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy resigns from the post and also from primary membership of Congress. 12.55 pm: HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to tender his resignation. I want every political party to support the cause of united Andhra Pradesh; my people going to Delhi tomorrow to meet the President - Jagan 12.35 pm: We want the country to start thinking. Injustice is being done to Andhra Pradesh - Jagan 12.33 pm: No rational thinking employed in creation of Telangana, this is not right, says Jagan 12.30 pm: No scientific procedure followed in formation of Telangana - Jagan 12.20 pm: YSR Congress party chief Jaganmohan Reddy to go on indefinite fast from tomorrow. 11.55 am: HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju on Friday resigned from the union cabinet in protest against the UPA government’s move to clear the formation of Telangana. “Deeply offended and aggrieved that the cabinet did not take any note of our anguish. Cabinet has acted in great haste without understanding the issues or the statements of the people. It is harmful to the state,” Raju said. “It is a very sad day for Andhra Pradesh,” he added. 11.45 am: Congress MP from Seemandhra L Rajagopal today said he will move the Supreme Court challenging the move. The move violates the federal principles and structure of the Constitution, he said. Contending that majority of the people of Andhra Pradesh are against the bifurcation, he said when a resolution in this regard is moved in the State Assembly, "we will ensure that it is defeated". 11.40 am: Wherever there is bifurcation of any state, feelings are there. No one can avoid these. But we have to console them, says Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde 11 am: The 72-hour bandh called by YSR Congress party has thrown life out of gear in the entire Seemandhara region. The shutdown is being felt in cities like Vijayawada and Vishakapatnam. In Tirupati, in Rayalaseema, the situation is no better with devotees to Tirumala, abode of Lord Venkateshwara, finding it extremely difficult to reach the hill top shrine in absence of public transport. The Seemandhara Lawyer Joint Action Committee (JAC) has also called a 48-hour-bandh in the 13 districts of Seemandhara and the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) Association has called for 48-hour blockade of national highways. Though the issue has been simmering ever since the Congress Working Committee (CWC) gave its nod for the creation of Telangana as the nation’s 29th state, the pro-united Andhra leaders and people in Seemandhara and Rayalaseema had remained hopeful that the UPA government may go for a last minute rethink on its stand. However, with the Union Cabinet, yesterday, setting up a Group of Ministers (GoM) under Finance Minister P Chidambaram to work out the modalities for creation of the new state, the anger in Seemandhara has grown manifolds. Textiles Minister KS Rao had offered to quit as well, reports said. Also, Congress` V Aruna Kumar, MP from Rajahmundry, tendered his resignation both from the party and Parliament in protest over the decision. By approving Telangana, the Congress has stood by its poll promise; however, the party is yet to decipher how the issue will play out in Seemandhara and Rayalaseema where YSR Congress party has emerged a potent force. Jagan’s release on bail after spending 16 months in jail in a corruption case was seen as a sign of the emerging tactic understanding between the YSR Congress Party and the Congress. However, Jagan dropped a bombshell on the Congress by praising Narendra Modi – implying that he has kept his options open. "What I want Narendra Modi to do is, I appreciate Modi as an administrator, I want Modi to change this entire system in bringing every party on to a secular platform in the interest of the nation," he said. Another cause of worry for the Congress is Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. The CM has already made it more than clear that he is willing to stake his chair for a united Andhra Pradesh. His opposition may make it that more difficult for the Congress to go ahead with the Telanagana plan. Kiran Reddy convened an emergency meeting today with ministers, MPs, MLCs and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to discuss the developments following the Union Cabinet`s approval of bifurcation of the state. A decision on en masse resignation by ministers and legislators is expected to be taken at the meeting.