Moily leads Congress' firefighting efforts over Telangana

Congress leader and Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily will meet the party's pro-Telangana members of Parliament and legislative assembly at 9 pm on Thursday.

Moily's meeting comes in the wake of Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister Jupallu Krishna Rao's decision to send his resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. But pro-Telangana activist are upset about the fact that Rao didn't send his resignation to the governor, as per protocol.

"In my letter to Sonia Gandhi, I have said that the government should either assure the public about the formation of Telangana or accept my resignation," he said.

During the meeting, Moily will try to pacify pro-Telangana legislators in the state, who have threatened to quit over the issue. According to sources, he may make some kind of an assurance to the Congress leaders who have been pleading the party top brass to take some concrete action.

Thanks to the Congress dilly-dallying over the issue, these legislators have faced considerable flak in their respective constituencies. Congress legislators from Telangana have even told the top leaders that they may not be able to go back to their constituencies till the new state is formed.

Members of the Joint Action Committee have already declared that they will not settle for mere assurances over the issue.

The JAC is planning to stage a Halt Hyderabad programme on March 10, for which it will gather nearly ten lakh pro-Telangana activists in Hyderabad who will sit on the city's roads. To convey the message that Hyderabad is a part of Telangana, these activists will bring the city to a halt.

Pro-Telangana activists have already organised a non-cooperation movement followed by a Rail Roko programme.

The Telegu Desam Party, which has been leaning towards a united Andhra, is divided over the issue. Though the TDP has voiced its support for a united state, party MLAs from Telangana are keeping a watch over the outcome of Moily's meeting with Congress legislators, to decide their future course of action.