Hyderabad: T-supporters were glued to TV sets all day on Tuesday as the Lok Sabha proceedings unfolded on television. There was consternation and palpable tension when the live coverage was abruptly snapped.
It all eased into cheers and slogans at 3.20 pm, when TV channels flashed the news that the Bill was passed by voice vote.
TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao led the party celebrations in New Delhi. He was virtually mobbed when he came out to greet supporters in New Delhi.
Activists gathered at the party offices of the Congress, TRS and TD across the region to hail the historic legislation.
TRS legislators T. Harish Rao and K.T. Rama Rao asked supporters to observe restraint, saying that bifurcation was a long cherished desire of people and not “victory or defeat for anyone.”
While thanking Congress president Sonia Gandhi for granting statehood on behalf of 4-crore Telangana people, senior minister Jana Reddy said their next target was to ensure Congress victory in the ensuing.
The most boisterous celebrations were seen on the university campuses in Telangana.
Dancing broke out and students burst crackers and distributed sweets at the fruition of their decades-long struggle and took out victory rallies.
TSJAC student union president Punna Kailash Netha said, “Telangana is no more a dream but a reality now. It is the victory of supporters and all those who died for the cause. Peace will return to OU and everyone desperately needs it.”
“Many anti-constitutional and undemocratic forces tried to halt the bifurcation. Nevertheless the Constitution and the people’s demands have prevailed,” said M. Krishank, spokesperson of OU JAC, who spearheaded the students’ agitation. In Warangal, the most boisterous celebrations were seen at the Congress Bhavan. In city after city in Telangana like Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad, students took to the streets to celebration.
