Two-day Telangana bandh from Tuesday

After the non-cooperation agitation, pro-Telangana parties and groups would now observe a 48-hour bandh in the region from tomorrow to mount pressure on the Centre to introduce a bill in the Budget session of Parliament for formation of separate Telangana.

The Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC), that comprises TRS, BJP and a number of people's organisations, today appealed to all sections of society in Telangana to make the shutdown a success.

Describing the bandh as a weapon to achieve the statehood goal, JAC Convener M Kodandaram told reporters that various groups like lawyers, doctors, teachers, medical staff, employees of public transport buses and even private sector would participate in the shutdown.

"There may be some difficulties for the people. But we have to bear that in the interest of Telangana. If you complain about labour pains, human race cannot be there," he said.

The JAC has threatened to intensify the agitation if the Centre failed to concede the statehood demand. The JAC leaders would meet on February 24 to decide the future course of agitation, Kodandaram said. The bandh comes against the backdrop of the non-cooperation agitation launched by pro-Telangana government employees to mount pressure on the Centre over the statehood issue.