By IANS
New Delhi : The Congress leadership’s move to set up a second states reorganisation commission (SRC) to look into the carving of new states appears to have created a deep rift in the party’s Andhra Pradesh unit. Pargty leaders from Telangana region say the c omission would delay the creation of a separate state for the region.
A delegation of the Telangana Regional Congress Coordination Committee (TRCCC) and party parliamentarians in favour of a new state for the Telangana region are to meet senior party leaders and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to “apprise them of the ground realities in the state”.
Although the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied media reports earlier this week that there was a move for a second committee, senior Congress party leader Veerappa Moily said in Hyderabad Thursday that a second SRC with the specific mandate for examining creation of Telangana and Vidarbha states would be set up soon.
However, Congress leaders from the region are opposed to the idea.
“Telangana people will not accept a second SRC,” said Madhu Goud Yaskhi, the party MP from Nizamabad.
Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy was also quoted as saying in local newspapers in Andhra Pradesh that he would not contest again if a second SRC was created.
Congress leaders from the region point out that the party would not win a single seat if it does not keep its promise of creating the Telangana state.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrashekhar Rao has already stated that the Congress’ move was “yet another move to cheat people of the region”.
Rao has alleged that Sonia Gandhi has “betrayed” the people of Telangana.
Taking offences against Rao’s remarks on Gandhi, Yaskhi said: “We will meet senior party leaders and apprise them of the ground situation.”
“Rao should not make personal attacks against a leader like Gandhi,” he said.
Congress sources admit that there has been a deepening divide among party leaders over the issue.
While leaders like Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy argue that the party could win votes on the basis of welfare measures introduced by his government, others who favour creation of Telangana say the party has to keep its word to retain its support base.
Leaders against creation of smaller states say that the creation of Telangana would help Maoist rebels to strengthen their base in the state as smaller states are prone to political instability and are thus slow in development.
But others argue that there is no link between political stability and development and that reining in Maoist rebellion would be easier in a smaller state.
A United Progressive Alliance sub-committee headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has been set up to examine the demand for Telangana, but is yet to come to a conclusion. Many political parties including the Left oppose the creation of smaller states.
The first SRC was set up in 1955, and states were reorganised in 1956 based on its report.