Hyderabad: BJP president Rajnath Singh’s remarks on the Telangana issue at the party’s National Council meeting in Delhi on Saturday has given rise to different interpretations by the party leaders from the state. He particularly came down heavily on the Congress for considering Telangana to balance its political equations in the state.
Leaders from Seemandhra are saying that the party president’s talk on Telangana is giving them the hope that it will not blindly support the Telangana Bill if it is introduced in the next Parliament session, while leaders from Telangana are saying that there is nothing unusual in the speech.
While reiterating party’s commitment on bifurcation of AP, Singh, however, has not given any assurance about the party supporting the Bill in the February session.
Singh reminded that the UPA government, which had promised to create Telangana as soon as it came into power, has not been able to achieve it even after five years. He said that as the main Opposition party, the BJP has given open support to the central government on this matter.
“Even then, due to internal politics, the government has not been able to take a final decision,” he said.
In his speech, Singh said, “Due to the hypocrisy of the Congress regarding Telangana, dissatisfaction and outrage in both Telangana and See-mandhra regions have increased. Instead of solving this, Congress is more interested in balancing its political equations.”
After forming the government in the Centre, the BJP will create Telangana and simultaneously form an action plan to find proper solutions to the problems of other areas of Andhra Pradesh.
Kambhampati Haribabu, national council member from Visakhapatnam pointed out, “If one reads the third paragraph of the speech, the party president has only said that Telangana will be granted after BJP comes to power in the centre. He has not committed that the party will support the present Bill if it is introduced in the next month’s session.
As if in response to this, S. Indrasena Reddy, another national council member and former BJP legislator, said, “State le-aders have met the party president and the BJP is ready to support the Bill if it is introduced in the Parliament session next month.
There is no ambiguity in this. BJP will insist that the concerns of Seemandhra region be addressed during the debate on Telangana Bill, but will support the formation. It will not stall the Bill.
After we form the next government, we will do justice to the other regions. I don’t see any deviation of the party policy on Telangana.”
Reddy recalled BJP’s stance on the food security bill to reassure doubting Thomases about he party’s commitment.
