As many as 56 of the 119 MLAs from Telangana, including four from the Congress, have decided to quit, protesting the “flawed” terms of reference of the Sri Krishna commission. Those quitting include 39 Telugu Desam MLAs, 10 Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLAs, two BJP legislators and one from the Praja Rajyam.

This “unanimous” decision came after a day of dramatic developments including the TRS allowing its representatives to resign on Sunday and the Congress leadership warning its legislators that resignation would literally “seal their fate” politically.

It was the TD representatives in the Telangana Joint Action Committee that forced the hand of the Congress contingent by saying that all 39 of them would quit if the Congress MLAs also did so. The TJAC convenor, Prof. Kodandaram, said all those intending to resign would assemble at TJAC office at New MLA quarters on Sunday at 10 am and leave for Gun Park opposite Assembly building. After offering floral tributes at the Telangana martyrs memorial, they would call on the Speaker, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, by 11 am to submit their resignations.

It was after a four-hour long deliberation by the TJAC that Prof. Kodandaram announced the ‘unanimous’ decision. The TRS president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the TD deputy floor leader, Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, BJP’s Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, the Congress MLA, Mr R. Damodar Reddy, and others attended the meeting,

The meeting was delayed because of the late arrival of six Congress members — four MLAs and two MLCs — who held their own conclave at the New MLA quarters. There was an audible sigh of relief after the four Congress MLAs, Mr Damodar Reddy, Mr Bikhamaiah Goud, Mr Narsa Reddy and Mr Mutyam, reached the venue along with the MLCs.

Mr Damodar Reddy said more Congress MLAs would quit but wanted more time to take a decision.
Congress MPs from the region have also decided to write to Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to request her to reduce the tenure of the Sri Krishna panel to six months. The AICC leaders, Mr Ahmed Patel and Mr Veerappa Moily, spoke to senior leaders and asked them to tell MLAs that the high command would not take kindly to any kind of rebellion.

Courtesy: DC