Embarrassed Congress faces revolt within

The no-confidence notice moved by 6 Congress parliamentarians against the United Progressive Alliance government on the Telangana issue has found favour with 84 more Seema-Andhra leaders.

The support of these Telegu Desam Party and Congress MPs could spell trouble for the central government.

6 MPs -- Lagadapati Rajgopal, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Sabbam Hari, Undavalli Arun Kumar and SPY Reddy -- had given a notice to Speaker Meira Kumar on Monday for the no confidence vote.

Congress MP from Guntur, Sambasiva Rao told rediff.com that this was not a knee-jerk reaction aimed at publicity.

“The Congress will be beaten badly in Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation. While Seema-Andhra is dead for the Congress, even Telangana seems highly doubtful for the party,” he said.

Rao added, “The people of Seema-Andhra feel cheated. We were agitated with the party as we feel that dividing the state is not in the right spirit. It is a political decision which will backfire.”

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Meanwhile, one of Andhra Pradesh’s senior-most Congress leaders, J C Diwaker Reddy has demanded resignation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Reddy, Congress legislator from Tadpatri in Anantapur district who has won every election since 1985, told rediff.com, “There is no chance for the Congress in Andhra Pradesh in the next assembly elections. The party is gone. The Telangana issue is what brought about the downfall of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and it was a very bad move on their part.”

“See the election results to the four states. It has been a whitewash for the Congress and the same would happen in Andhra Pradesh as well. I will not say who will win in Andhra Pradesh, but there will be an alternate to the Congress. I am ready to join any alternate force to the Congress.”

“The Congress has on its own ruined its chances in the Seema-Andhra region by bringing up the Telangana issue. The party high command is alone responsible for this decision and it has brought about the downfall of the party. There is a nexus between the Congress and the YSR Congress although it is not seen in the public.”

“We have repeatedly spoken our minds out against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Look where things have led. The Congress is facing a no confidence motion which has been moved by its own MPs. This is quite embarrassing and the Congress by now realises what a mistake it had made. Going by the trends I see no chance for the party which I have been part of for so long.”

“The Bill will come up before the assembly and we will do our bit to stall it. However, if it still does not change the mind of the high command, then I really do not know what more to say. Regarding the sharing Hyderabad as capital, if the bifurcation takes place, it would be better if the people of Seema-Andhra move out and build their own capital soon.”

“Hyderabad would never belong to the people of Seema-Andhra and what evertax we pay will go to Telangana only. I would feel that it is better to move out and have our own capital instead of sharing Hyderabad.”

“About my own plans, I am not fully decided as yet. I do share a cordial relationship with the TDP, but that is something that I do not want to elaborate upon. As I pointed out it would be a breakaway faction from the Congress that I would be interested in since that is the party which will win in Seema-Andhra for sure.”