Telangana MPs refuse to withdraw resignations

HYDERABAD: The Congress Telangana MPs, who have resigned, are preparing to convey their decision not to withdraw their resignations to AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad when they meet him in Delhi on Monday.They have decided to turn up the heat on the party leadership to make an announcement on Telangana before September 17, the anniversary of the Telangana Liberation Day. The MPs want Azad to complete the consultations process which he has initiated by then. Rajya Saba member K Keshava Rao said: “It will be a mockery of its own statement if the Centre goes back on Telangana. If Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy feels the state’s development took a back seat, what he should do is bring pressure on the Centre and ensure an early solution to the Telangana issue.” Keshava Rao further said his party MLAs from Telangana would submit their resignations to their posts again after the return of Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar from abroad on August 8. The Telangana MPs have two options before them: If their resignations are accepted, they will go to the people and be on their side while fighting for a separate state. Option 2: If the resignations are rejected, they will stall proceedings of Parliament and will not cooperate with the government on the floor of the House. Keshava Rao dismissed the decision of Zaheerabad MP Suresh Shetkar to attend the session as something of no consequence.Azad, on his part, continued to cajole the MPs to withdraw their resignations and called Keshava Rao and Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Redy thrice. But the duo insisted on a T statement.