BJP demands referendum over Telangana issue

Slamming Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for his comment that political parties in Andhra Pradesh should first make up their mind on Telangana issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday demanded that the Centre should conduct a referendum in the region.

In view of the prevailing political situation in the state, President Pratibha Patil should take the initiative to conduct a referendum in Telangana whether people there want separate statehood or not, BJP state unit President G Kishan Reddy told reporters.

"Public opinion would be more important than consensus of political parties" he said.

Referring to the home minister's appeal that all political parties in Andhra Pradesh should first "make up their mind" and complete their process of consultation on Telangana issue, the BJP leader said the people, irrespective of their political affiliation, are in favour of a separate state for Telangana.

"How can a consensus be arrived among the opportunistic political parties, who provoked the people in the region, when Home Minister Chidambaram had made announcement on December 9, 2009 on Telangana issue," Reddy alleged.

Alleging that both-- the ruling Congress as well as the main opposition Telugu Desam Party -- have lost their credibility due to their double standards on the issue, Reddy said the statement of the home minister shows the bankruptcy of Congress as Chidambaram had announced two years ago that the process for carving out Telangana state has began.

Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders for deletion of controversial Clause 14 (F) of Presidential Order of 1975 that makes Hyderabad a "free zone", Reddy said.

He claimed Sushma Swaraj telephoned him this morning and informed that the Centre is likely to take a final decision on the issue in a few days.

Responding to a Calling Attention Motion on Telangana issue on Friday last, Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha that as many as four political parties of Andhra Pradesh, out of eight, have not yet "made up their mind" on Telangana.