AP panel makes T Congress unhappy

Congress leaders from Telangana, who met at the residence of the Congress Working Committee member, Mr K. Keshava Rao, on Saturday decided not to join the Rosaiah Cabinet in the possible reshuffle till Telangana gets statehood.

The meeting also discussed the co-ordination panel appointed by the AICC president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, on Sunday.

The Suryapet legislator, Mr R. Damodar Reddy, who spoke to media after the meeting said Telangana leaders have decided to write Mrs Gandhi urging that the state Congress chief, Mr D. Srinivas, head the panel instead of Mr Veerappa Moily, the party’s AP incharge.

“Such committees had been formed in the past, one under Mr K. Keshava Rao and another under Mr Srinivas himself. On both occasions the PCC chief was the convenor of the committee. At that time there was no chairman,” Mr Damodar Reddy said. “For the first time, an AICC functionary has been appointed as chairman of the committee which is not acceptable to us.”

The meeting urged the party high command to appoint one or two MPs from Telangana to the panel. “Three MPs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have been named as members and whereas from Telangana not a single MP has been accommodated,” Mr Damodar Reddy said.

The meeting also urged the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to include Telangana-specific terms of reference in the Justice Srikrishna panel and also set a timeframe.

Replying to a question, Mr Damodar Reddy said the existing 13 ministers from Telangana region would function as watchdogs till the Centre declares statehood for Telangana. They will oversee allotment of funds to various projects and to districts and scuttle moves of divert more funds to coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.