Hyderabad: On a day the Centre sent the controversial Telangana Bill (draft state reorganisation bill) to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for its views, AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, in-charge of Congress affairs in the state, held hectic parleys with party leaders from Telangana and Seemandhra here on Thursday.
Singh's two-day visit assumes significance as the winter session of the AP legislature also began on Thursday.
A large number of party leaders, including ministers, met Singh, but the most important was his meeting with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is a staunch opponent of the proposed division. There was no official word on the meeting, but it is learnt that the issue of the bill was discussed.
Chief Minister Reddy had said recently at a public rally that he would not allow Andhra Pradesh to be divided.
"We will see how the bill is passed in Parliament. United Andhra Pradesh is not just a slogan, it's our policy," he had said.
Meanwhile, ministers and MLAs from Telangana urged Singh to see to it that Telangana bill be taken up for debate in the winter session.
State Major Industries Minister J. Geetha Reddy, a senior leader from Telangana region, told reporters that Singh gave hearing to leaders from both sides. "He (Singh) is only hearing everything. He is a veteran leader. He is not going to react to everything everybody says. He will collect the opinions of everybody and he thinks whatever is best for the state at this moment, he will do it," she said.
While the Telangana leaders demanded that the bill be tabled in the ongoing session, the Seemandhra ministers and leaders are understood to be not keen on it.
Seemandhra Congress MLAs on Thursday demanded that a resolution should be passed in the Legislative Assembly in favour of the united Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Bill, remitted to the Centre by President Pranab Mukherjee, was today dispatched to Assembly Speaker N. Manohar's office. As suggested by the President, the Assembly has been asked to consider the Bill and respond by January 23, 2014.
Meanwhile, protests were organised in the state against Singh's visit by pro-united Andhra employees and others, alleging that it was aimed at doing politics on the issue. A group of united Andhra supporters staged a flash protest outside the government guest house where Singh was staying, but they were taken into custody by police.
