Zeenews Bureau
Hyderabad: Despite assurances from the Centre about an amicable solution for the Telangana statehood row, the Congress MPs from the region have refused to withdraw their resignations until the party leadership comes out with a time-frame for the formation of a new state.
The ministers are not ready to lower their stance and give any concession to the Congress party despite assurance of some “good news” on Telangana from Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The ministers have ruled out any blackmail on the issue of granting statehood to the Telangana region, but they insist that their stand was a reflection of the demands of people living in the region.
As of now, there has been no official word from the Congress high command on this issue.
Earlier on Sunday, a delegation of 13 ministers led by State Information and Tourism Minister Geeta Reddy met Pranab to protest the Centre's dilly-dallying on Telangana.
The Telangana region has been on the boil ever since Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS)
chief K Chandrasekhar Rao went on a fast-unto-death to press Centre on the issue of granting statehood to Telangana.
KCR ended his fast on the eleventh day, after Centre assured that it will initiate process in the State Assembly for the formation of a new state.
The Centre later backtracked saying that a decision will be taken only after consultations with all parties concerned.
However, this again fuelled a political storm in the state of Andhra Pradesh and a tug-of-war between Telangana supporters and the Centre.
K Chandrasekhar Rao, or KCR, along with pro-Telangana politicians and student groups, has formed the Telangana Joint Action Committee, which has given an ultimatum to the Centre.
KCR has warned that he will start an indefinite bandh in Telangana on Tuesday, if the Centre does not commit to a schedule for the formation of the new state it sanctioned earlier this month.
First Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 11:30