In an effort to intensify the agitation for Telangana statehood, the Congress and the TRS want the opposition TDP to reconsider its decision and join the Joint Action Committee (JAC) but Chandrababu Naidu's party does not appear to be willing.
The Congress camp was busy on Saturday with the ministers and MPs, MLAs and MLCs meeting separately to chalk out their next course of action while the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee decided to meet on Sunday to announce its future plan.
The JAC is mulling whether to take out a bus yatra with ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs or organise bandhs to step up their struggle for a separate state.
"We will decide on the next course of action tomorrow and announce it on Tuesday," TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said.
Ironically, the Congress and the TRS are apparently trying for oneupmanship in the JAC with both sides claiming that theirs was the key role in the current agitation.
The 13 ministers, hailing from Telangana region, who sent their common resignation letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, met at the residence of minister Jupalli Krishna Rao and decided to meet Gandhi in Delhi on Sunday.
They are also likely to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press the demand for a clear timeframe for creation of separate state.
The Telugu Desam Party, on the other hand, demanded that Sonia Gandhi first speak out on the Telangana issue.
"Let her first make a clear statement on creation of a separate state and within ten seconds of her statement our leader Chandrababu Naidu will spell out our stand," TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy said, rebutting Congress criticism of Naidu.
Earlier, former Home Minister K Jana Reddy wanted the TDP to reconsider its stand and join JAC to lead a united struggle for Telangana.
JAC Convenor Kodandaram, who visited Nagam's residence to enquire about his health in the aftermath of the attack in Osmania University, also wanted the principal opposition to join hands with JAC and strengthen the movement.
TRS leader E Rajender too made a similar plea to the TDP. "Let us set our political affiliations aside and fight for a united cause," he appealed to the TDP.
But the TDP appeared to be in no mood to heed as it accused the TRS of pursuing a hidden agenda and the Congress lacking clarity on the statehood issue.
"How can we join hands with such forces," Nagam questioned.
Congress MP V Hanumantha Rao wanted the JAC not to cause further inconvenience to people by calling "uncalled for" bandhs. "There is no ambiguity in the Centre's latest statement on the statehood issue as no where has it said the process for Telangana has been put on the backburner. We have to interpret the statement in the right manner," he said.
Meanwhile, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao took strong exception to the posting of four Inspector Generals of Police, hailing from Andhra region, for special security duties in Hyderabad and Cyberabad areas. PTI
