AP: TJAC asks legislators to quit by June 25

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), which is spearheading the movement for a separate state, Thursday set June 25 as the deadline for all public representatives, including MPs and legislators, from the region to quit.TJAC asked all MPs, state legislators and other public representatives of the ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to resign if the central government failed to respond positively to the demand for a separate state."If the centre fails to take a positive decision by June 25 all public representatives of Congress and TDP should resign and create constitutional crisis," TJAC convenor M. Kodandaram told reporters after a meeting of the apex body.Kodandaram appealed to people not to allow the MPs and state legislators to visit the villages if they refuse to resign by June 25.The meeting, attended by leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and various groups, also decided to lay siege to Hyderabad June 19 to demand a bill in the coming parliament session for a separate state.Kodandaram said lakhs of people would come out and cook and eat food on the roads as a mark of protest.TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao announced that he would participate in the protest along with his family members. He urged all families of Telangana to take part.TJAC also announced a series of protests, including road blockades, during visits by ministers and other public representatives.The apex body chalked out its future course of action on a day when Congress MPs from Telangana met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and urged him to initiate immediate steps for formation of separate state.The MPs led by senior leader K. Keshava Rao told the prime minister that if New Delhi delays a decision it would be difficult for them to visit their constituencies and face people. They also said they would also be forced to quit.Keshava Rao told reporters that Manmohan Singh said the government would take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time. He also assured the delegation that he would talk to the party leadership on the issue.

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