KCR resumes fast amid high drama
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: In yet another dramatic twist, Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao resumed his indefinite fast on Tuesday, hours after he called it off in the Khammam district headquarters hospital. He kept the doctors away, argued with police officials and tried to walk out of the hospital many a time questioning the rationale behind his arrest and the need for confining him to Khammam. Police foiled all his attempts. His condition was stated to be stable.
Cop commits suicide
| To meet leaders of NDA, other parties |
To seek BJP's help to raise statehood issue in Parliament
Students meet Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, seek support
HYDERABAD: A five-member delegation of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) led by former MP B. Vinod Kumar left from New Delhi on Wednesday night to mobilise support of other political parties on the statehood cause.
Comprising R.Vidyasagar Rao, A.Chandulal, C. Satyanarayana Reddy and MLA E. Ravinder Reddy, the delegation plans to meet leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that had earlier supported the cause of separate Telangana.
Meanwhile, TRS leaders led by Eatala Rajender, MLA, met BJP State president Bandaru Dattatreya and other senior office-bearers at the BJP office here. They sought the BJP's help in persuading the central leadership of the party and also Leader of the Opposition, L. K. Advani, to raise the issue in Parliament.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Rajender said they would meet leaders of all parties that had submitted their letters of support to the UPA sub-committee on Telangana headed by Pranab Mukherjee. "We hope to bring the Telangana issue back on the centrestage during the ongoing Parliament session," he added.
Staff Reporter
ADILABAD: Chennur MLA Nallala Odelu on Wednesday led a group of slogan shouting Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) cadres, which stormed the Jaipur Mandal Revenue Office demanding shifting of their fasting party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao from Khammam to Hyderabad. He warned the government that it will be held responsible if anything happens to Mr. Rao.
At Nirmal, Srihari Rao led a group of students and party workers into the office of the RDO putting forth the same demand. Party functionaries staged relay hunger strikes.
TRS chief administered fluidsSpecial Correspondent
HYDERABAD/KHAMMAM: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao was administered fluids intravenously for the second time "much against his wishes", nearly 24 hours after he resumed his indefinite fast at the Khammam district headquarter hospital on Wednesday.
But TRS leaders contended that Mr. Rao continued his fast for the third day and that the IV fluids were administered "forcibly" on the direction of the AP State Human Rights Commission.
'Weak but stable'Doctors said there was significant drop in Mr. Rao's blood-sugar level of Mr. Rao. He was "weak" but "stable
KCR shifted from Khammam to NIMS
3 December 2009
| Fast enters fifth day; TRS chief's condition stable, say doctors in Hyderabad |
Health concern: Police taking TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao from Khammam Government Hospital to NIMS in Hyderabad in 108 ambulance on Thursday. — HYDERABAD: Amid another round of high drama, the fasting Telangana Rashtra Samiti president, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, was shifted from Khammam district headquarter hospital to Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences here, early on Thursday morning.
He was shifted in a 108 ambulance from the Khammam hospital around 3 a.m. after doctors told him that he had lung infection and would get better care at NIMS. He was accompanied by his son K.T. Rama Rao and nephew T. Harish Rao, both TRS MLAs.
On reaching NIMS at 7.30 a.m, the TRS chief, who looked pale and weak with his indefinite fast entering fifth day on Thursday, was examined at the emergency ward and then shifted to the Millennium Block.
A 30-member team of doctors headed by NIMS Director Prasada Rao attended on him. The doctors said Mr. Rao's condition was stable, but his son expressed apprehensions about his sodium and ketone levels.
Leaders call on KCR
Medical Education Minister P. Sudarshan Reddy, senior Congress leader T. Purushottam Rao, State BJP president Bandaru Dattatreya and MLC educationist Chukka Ramaiah were among those who called on the fasting leader.
The TRS leaders who called on Mr. Rao said the latter had asked them to ensure that the party supporters did not damage the statues of Potti Sriramulu which they did in the last couple of days.
An emergency meeting of the TRS polit bureau made it clear that Mr. Rao's fast would continue till statehood for Telangana was achieved.
Party MLAs Eatala Rajender, Koppula Eashwar and N. Odelu told media persons that it was decided to hold candlelight demonstrations with pictures of those who died as part of the agitation since Mr. Rao's fast in all Telangana districts. TRS workers would appeal to MPs and MLAs of all parties to support separate Telangana on Saturday.
His fast continued to touch off protests across districts in Telangana, the most significant one on National Highway 9 at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district.
Traffic stopped
Pro-Telangana activists, mostly students and youth, brought traffic to a halt and damaged eight buses and 15 lorries.
A bus driver and a passenger were injured in stone pelting. Police lathicharged the protestors but they assembled again.
Student protests and relay hunger strike were organised demanding the release of Mr. Rao in Medak, Mahbubnagar, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad.
A jeep belonging to Rural Water Supply department was set on fire at Chennur in Adilabad district.
Telangana activists on warpath
Staff Reporter
NALGONDA: Pro-Telangana activists went berserk and damaged eight buses and about 15 lorries on the National Highway 9 at Nakrekal in the district on Thursday. Two persons, including a bus driver and passenger, were injured in the incident.
The vehicular movement on the busy and congested highway was disrupted for more than half-an-hour at Nakrekal resulting in severe inconvenience to the commuters.
According to sources, the pro-Telangana activists including several students staged a protest demonstration under the aegis of the TRS local leaders demanding formation of a separate Telangana state at Nakrekal in the afternoon.
The agitation turned violent when a section of the protesters hurled stones on the windscreens of the stranded buses. A driver and passenger of a damaged bus sustained injuries in the attack. They further smashed the windscreens of several lorries bound to various far off destinations while retreating, sources said
4 December 2009 TRS president moved to ICU?
Special Correspondent
For a cause: TRS MLAs K. Eshwar and N. Odelu who locked themselves up in the party office on the Assembly premises in Hyderabad on Friday. HYDERABAD: The Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences authorities have decided late on Friday night to shift fasting TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao to the Intensive Care Unit from the Millennium Block as his health condition deteriorated. Mr. Rao has been on fast for the past six days though the doctors were putting him on IV fluids from time to time.
NIMS Director Prasada Rao, briefing newsmen, felt that it would be better if the number of visitors comes down as Mr. Rao needed rest.
Earlier during the day, the health condition of Mr. Rao was described as normal by the doctors..
They had told media persons that his blood pressure and temperature, as also X-ray, and ECG reports were normal. He was put on saline. His liver function test showed no signs of jaundice.
Meanwhile, concerns over Mr. Rao's health triggered spontaneous protests from students and other supporters of separate Telangana throughout the region. They sat on hunger strike at several places and raised slogans against government at the NIMS.
TRS legislators Koppula Eashwar and Nallala Odelu had locked themselves inside the legislature party office on the Assembly premises and began a hunger strike from 11.30 a.m.
They did not open the door till night despite the Legislature Secretary's appeals over phone to call it off.
They also did not heed to the Secretary's warning that the police might have to arrest them after breaking open the door. The police surrounded the building where the MLAs were holed up and even locked the grill at the entrance to keep media persons and other visitors at bay.
Mr. Eashwar told The Hindu that they had put forth two demands before the Secretary – the Centre should announce formation of Telangana State and the Congress government should introduce a resolution on statehood in the State Assembly.
TRS MLAs shifted
When reports last came in, marshalls broke open the doors of the party office and brought out the MLAs.
Meanwhile, the TRS Legislature Party presented a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh to the family of K. Srikanth who succumbed to burns sustained when he set himself afire after the arrest of the TRS president.
The amount was a month's salary of all the party MLAs and an additional contribution of Rs. one lakh.
The body was taken to Gun Park and then shifted to Srikanth's native village in Motkur mandal of Nalgonda district. TRS Legislature Party leader Eatala Rajender accompanied the body.- 5 December 2009
State "indifference" to KCR's health decried
| Students' riots result in bandh in Capital well before scheduled time |
Decision to call for bandh taken by party's polit bureau
TRS leaders advise students not to resort to violence
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) gave a call for a 48-hour bandh in Telangana from midnight of Saturday in protest against the "indifference" of the government to what it called the deteriorating health condition of its president K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The decision to call for bandh was taken by the party's Polit Bureau after its leaders called on Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
Even as the the polit bureau was discussing with concern the issue of fall in Mr. Rao's sodium and potassium levels, a medical bulletin issued by NIMS around the same time showed that the TRS chief had a sodium of 131 which was low, but potassium was normal with a reading of 3.8.
The State capital plunged into bandh well before its scheduled commencement at midnight as students of Osmania University vandalised shops near Panjagutta and Ameerpet while returning in a large group from NIMS.
Briefing reporters later, Telangana Rashtra Samiti floor leader in Assembly Eatala Rajender said the party had sought the support of several organisations for the bandh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party immediately responded to the call positively.
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders advised the students not to resort to violence as it was not the policy of Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
They warned of serious consequences if the government failed to take steps for formation of Telangana State which would alone pave way for Mr. Rao to call off his hunger strike.
Referring to their meeting with Mr. Rao in hospital earlier, they said he was unrelenting on the demand for separate Telangana.
He even threatened to commit suicide if they tried to mount pressure on him to call off fast.
Pen down strike
The Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees, Teachers and Workers simultaneously gave a call for 'pen down' strike on Monday and Tuesday to express solidarity with Mr. Rao.
The joint action committee warned that it would await the government's response till Tuesday.
6 December 2009
TRS bandh turns violent in districts
| KCR rejects seven Ministers' appeal to give up fast, wants assurance on Telangana |
Calling for truce: Ministers holding discussions with T. Rama Rao, MLA and son of TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, after they called on KCR at NIMS in Hyderabad, on Sunday. HYDERABAD: The two-day bandh called by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in support of its fasting president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, which evoked good response throughout Telangana, turned violent in districts, but was peaceful in the State capital.
Eight Ministers from Telangana made a vain bid to appeal to Mr. Rao to give up his fast. Mr. Rao was stubborn and is believed to have told them bluntly that he would not oblige till he gets a firm assurance on separate Telangana. They included Sabita Indra Reddy, Sunita Laxma Reddy, D. K. Aruna, D. Sridhar Babu, R. Venkat Reddy, K. Venkat Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Jupally Krishna Rao. Later APCC president D. Srinivas too met him briefly. Among others were Revolutionary writer Varavara Rao.
Buses burnt
The supporters of separate Telangana burnt four RTC buses, three in various villages of Nalgonda and one at Karimnagar bus station. Nine buses were damaged in Ranga Reddy district and one each in Nalgonda and Medak. The Tata Safari of Ramagundam MLA S. Satyanarayan was burnt down at Godavarikhani. Seven government offices in various districts and the premises of Indian National Trade Union Congress at Godavarkhani were also burnt, according to a press release from the office of the Director General of Police. The agitators damaged the statues of former Speaker D. Sripada Rao at Ramaiahpalli in Karimnagar and 'Telugu Thalli' at Shadnagar in Mahabubnagar district.
The RTC buses and other vehicles went off roads throughout the region, presenting an empty look at bus stations. The AP Express and Bhagyanagar Express trains were stopped at Uppal railway station in Karimnagar district and the window panes of Kerala Express damaged at Kannala in the same district. TRS MLA of Chennur N. Odelu and his supporters were arrested for stopping a goods train near Mandamarri in Adilabad.
Being a Sunday, offices, shops and schools also remained closed which gave the bandh call a total picture. An Intermediate student was reported to have died of heart attack while participating in a procession at Atchampet in Mahabubnagar. A Telangana supporter who jumped from a water tank at a village in Warangal was admitted to NIMS with multiple fracture injuries
Rosaiah asks police to act tough
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah has instructed the police personnel to act tough against those indulging in damage of public and private properties in the name of agitations.
He wanted the police not to remain mute spectators to incidents involving destruction of property in the name of "maintaining restraint". "The police personnel need not wait for special instructions when it comes to protecting public and private properties," he said. Though the government was doing everything to control the violence, "something went wrong on Saturday in the State capital" resulting in apprehensions among investors.
Telangana bandh total on first day
Staff Reporter
| Suicides, rallies, demonstrations, rasta rokos, rail rokos, arson mark the bandh |
Guravaiah (45) commits suicide on Saturday night at his farm in support of the stir
ITI student Kishore takes pesticide in Rachapalli, Ashok sets himself afire in Narayanpur; both die
All for the cause: Ayyappa devotees raising slogans in favour of Telangana State in Nalgonda on Sunday. (Right) Parked RTC buses at Warangal Bus Station. 
SANGAREDDY: The first day of the two-day bandh being observed by the Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) on Sunday was total with sporadic incidents taking place across the district. Guravaiah (45), a TRS activist, committed suicide Saturday late night at his farm in support of the agitation. Two students I. Tirupati (24) and Ganesh (23) tried to immolate themselves. Another person Talari Ganesh of Rajagopalpet swallowed sleeping pills stating that he was dying for the cause. The agitators tried to torch the mandal education office.
At Siddipet the agitators tried to set fire to irrigation office, a jeep in the office premises, housing office and forest office.
Police caned TRS workers when they tried to attack a factory at Narsapur. Twenty five lorries were partially damaged. They also attacked a petrol bunk at this place. Former MLA M Padma Devender Reddy offered special prayers at Medak Church for the health of party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Protests in Nalgonda
Nalgonda Staff Reporter adds: Incidents of stone pelting at some places, protest demonstrations and rallies in several mandals marked the first day in Nalgonda.
Commotion prevailed at Bahupeta village in Yadagirigutta mandal when four activists climbed a water tank and doused themselves with petrol in the afternoon and threatened to end their lives.
Heart attack
Mahabubnagar Correspondent adds: Intermediate 2nd year student Shiva died allegedly due to heart attack while participating in a rally at Achampet in the district in Sunday. He developed Chest pain and was shifted to the local hospital where doctors declared brought dead. Members of ABVP and BJP staged a dharna in front of the former minister G. Chinaa Reddy at Wanaparthy. The TRS activists and members of MRPS gheraoed Alampur Congress MLA Dr. Abraham.
Effigies of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister K.Rosaiah were burnt at Vatvarlapally village of Amrabad mandal and Remuddula village in Pangal amdnal.
MLA's car torched
Karimnagar Staff Reporter adds: The bandh turned violent in various parts of Karimnagar districton the first day. The agitationists have set fire to a luxury car belonging to Ramagundam Congress legislator S Satyanarayana in Ramagundam industrial town. The incident took place when the legislator went to participate in the Ambedkar death anniversary celebrations in the coal belt.
Commit suicide
On the other hand, an ITI second student Kishore (18) committed suicide by consuming pesticide in Rachapalli village of Jammikunta mandal on Sunday morning. After watching the news about deterioration of health condition of TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao, Kishore left his house on Saturday night and was found dead on Sunday morning in the village outskirts with a pesticide bottle. In another incident, B Ashok (24) committed suicide by dousing kerosene in Narayanpur village of Yellareddypet mandal. In Akkanapet village of Husnabad, a youth jumped from the cellphone tower and sustained serious fracture injuries.
Poetry session
Warangal Staff Reporter adds: Life came to standstill with the RTC buses and auto-rickshaws off the roads. The Poets and Writers who conducted a special poetry recital session in support of the Telangana took out a candle light rally from Hanamkonda chowrastha to Kaloji statue in Nakkalgutta
Nizamabad Staff Reporter adds: Barring sporadic violence, the bandh passed off peacefully.The TRS leaders A.S. Posetty, CPI (ML) leader Akula Papaiah and some BJP workers were arrested by police.
Rail roko
Adilabad Staff Reporter adds: Activists staged rail roko stirs at three places. Chennur MLA Nallala Odelu led his party workers stopped goods train at Kyatanpally near Mandamarri while other TRS activists stopped trains at Ramnagar and Kannala railway gate near Bellampally. At Narsapur(G) police has registered cases against some miscreants who garlanded the Mahatma Gandhi statue with chappals and the Ambedkar statue with a discarded tyre.
7 December 2009
KCR's condition stable, but weak
Staff Reporter
Doctors monitoring his health closely despite non-cooperation by patient
HYDERABAD: The health condition of fasting president of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) K. Chandrasekhar Rao was stable on Monday with all the vital parameters of his health being within normal limits, according to the doctors of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
Briefing media about Mr. Rao's health, NIMS Medical Superintendent N. Satyanarayana and assistant professor N. Laxmi Bhasker said that he was very weak but conscious. He was not cooperating with the medical team and refusing to take the treatment in between, but the doctors were convincing him and injecting I.V. fluids frequently.
He was also being administered antibiotics to prevent infections in the body. Blood culture test of Mr. Rao was also being done to have better understanding of the changes taking place in his body due to prolonged starvation, the doctors stated. They were monitoring his health closely but said it was difficult to forecast the development of his health condition.
All vital parameters like body temperature, blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse rate and respiration rate were normal. Asked how long KCR could live on I.V. fluids, the doctors said his condition would be stable as long as his resistance power would hold on. The supplementation of I.V. fluids was not sufficient.
On the cold-fever suffered by KCR on Sunday night, the doctors said such developments could occur due to constant injection of I.V. fluids. It was brought under control with a little rise in the blood sugar level. Less visitors and more rest could prevent infection, the doctors explained
DCP 'kept away' from active duties
( cm says curb violence with iron hand now he takes this action.)
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Buckling under pressure from all quarters for the alleged highhanded behaviour of police in dealing with the pro-Telangana agitators, the government has announced that the DCP (East) Stephen Ravindra will be 'kept away from active duties', on Monday.
He would continue to be the DCP (East), but monitoring of the law and order would be entrusted to other officers.
Majlis non-committal on Telangana issue
Hyderabad: With the Telangana issue back in focus, every political party is voicing its stand. But for Majlis mum is the word. The party has not aired its views at all – neither in favour nor against statehood for Telangana. The steadied silence of Majlis is baffling given the fact that the party has considerable clout in the region.
"We will make our stand known at the right time", says Majlis president Asaduddin Owaisi.
Isn't it the right time? "No, we will decide when the right time is", he remarks. The party, it is said, has decided to wait and watch the situation instead of taking sides. For the Majlis, it is not just the question of bifurcation of the State, but how best the interests of Muslims would be protected in a changed scenario. Security and welfare of the minorities is what the party is worried about, it is said.
Earlier, the party patriarch, late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, had said the party would make its stand clear after consulting experts, religious leaders and scholars. Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has come out in support of the demand for a separate Telangana demand as it is not merely an issue of regional indiscrimination but a question of right and justice. "None can deny the fact that people of Telangana have been meted out injustice for the last 53 years", said Mallik Moatasim Khan, president, JIH, A.P and Orissa zone.
Telangana: CLP leaves it to Sonia
HYDERABAD: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Monday passed a unanimous resolution authorising AICC president Sonia Gandhi to take an appropriate decision on Telangana.
The resolution came after differences cropped up among legislators from the three regions over the issue. While legislators from Telangana said they would not settle for anything less than a new State, MLAs from the other two regions wanted separate Andhra and Rayalaseema, respectively.
During the 90-minute meeting, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah explained the recent developments in the wake of the fast undertaken by TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the widespread violence rocking the region.
8 December 2009
Pleas to end fast fail to move gritty KCR
Suresh Krishnamoorthy
| TRS chief turns down requests saying he will do so only after a firm assurance from government |
Indomitable: BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu calls on K. Chandrasekhar Rao at NIMS, in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Right) KCR's son K.T. Rama Rao at the hospital. HYDERABAD: Only family members and most important leaders, including party MLAs were allowed inside the Thoracic Recovery Room (Ward Two) in the Intensive Care Block of the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences where Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhara Rao was being treated, as his indefinite fast entered the 10th day.
All they did was to plead with him to break his fast, even as his resolve to continue was still strong. Every time some one would urge him with folded hands, he would try to smile, nodding his head in a 'No', while whispering back that he would not do so till a firm assurance came from the government. Among those constantly present around him were daughter Kavitha and wife Varalakshmi.
The usual silence in the ICU was broken by the sounds of laboured breathing and hushed whispers of anxious family members and others worried about Mr. Rao. In the corridor outside, there was constant movement of people who were careful to leave their footwear metres away. On one side, party MLAs stood with heads bent as K. Taraka Rama Rao spoke in hushed tones on what they should do, now that his father had started cooperating with the team of doctors attending on him. With the media being kept well outside the block, they were in no risk of being overheard.
The team of doctors included his personal physician, M.V. Rao, Hospital Superintendent N. Satyanarayana and others from super-speciality departments who kept flitting in and out. Only through strict instructions from the doctors that the fasting leader was not speaking aloud to anyone for the past three days, said K. Sanjay, a childhood mate of Mr. Taraka Rama Rao and a spine surgeon.
9 December 2009
Ex-Minister, Chief Whip slug it out in lobbies
| Heated exchanges between the two over Telangana issue |
Slogan-shouting by ruling party legislators from other regions in lobbies flares up differences
Damodar Reddy annoyed over slogan-shouting, while Vikramarka objects to signature campaign
HYDERABAD: Sharp differences among Congress legislators over the Telangana issue came to the fore yet again with a former Minister and Government Chief Whip entering into an altercation in Assembly lobbies on Wednesday.
Slogan-shouting by ruling party legislators from other regions in support of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema in the Legislative Assembly flared up differences as former Minister R. Damodar Reddy cautioned Chief Whip Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka against "provoking" their Telangana counterparts. The angry gesticulations and heated arguments between the two, who blamed one another for the state of affairs, caught several legislators by surprise.
While Mr. Damodar Reddy was reportedly annoyed over the slogan-shouting, which, he claimed, was an attempt to belittle Telangana legislators, Mr. Vikramarka objected to the signature campaign launched by the former, requesting the party leadership to take a decision on separate Telangana.
Mr. Vikramarka, who hails from Khammam district, did not sign the memorandum prepared by the supporters of separate Telangana.
Replying to queries by reporters later, Mr. Damodar Reddy said it was not proper on the part of some non-Telangana leaders of the Congress to provoke the Telangana leaders supporting the cause of a separate State. One leader holding a responsible position in the Assembly in particular was behind the slogan-shouting by MLAs from other regions.
Asked about his spat with Mr. Vikramarka, he said there were no personal differences between the two, "but I am not prepared to take the provocations silently."
Senior legislator and former Minister K. Jana Reddy who briefed reporters about the memorandum addressed to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the time had come for the party leadership to step in and resolve the issue amicably.
Peace rally
Expressing solidarity with the peace rally proposed by students and activists on Thursday, he, however, wanted them to ensure that there was no scope for violence during their protests.
He welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reported comments in New Delhi on the need to expedite a solution to the Telangana issue and wanted the government, especially the police, to maintain restraint in dealing with the protests proposed by students and supporters of Telangana on Thursday.
Congress MLAs seek UT status for Hyderabad (T WHAT A SHAMEO SAFE GUARD THEIR PROPERTIES)
HYDERABAD: Eleven Congress legislators from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area have demanded that Hyderabad be declared as a Union Territory in the event of formation of separate Telangana State.
Differing with the majority opinion among the Congress legislators from the region, the GHMC Congress MLAs sought to distance themselves from the demand for separate Telangana. They claimed that all sections of people had apprehensions about their future if separate State was formed with Hyderabad as its nerve centre.
Backward Classes Welfare Minister M. Mukesh Goud has already addressed a letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi which was signed by these 11 MLAs from the GHMC area, while two MLAs P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and P. Shankar Rao, however, extended support for Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital. As a continuation to the letter addressed by 10 Ministers from Telangana, 29 MLAs from the region wrote to Ms. Gandhi seeking her intervention in the ongoing stalemate over the indefinite hunger strike launched by Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The GHMC legislators, however, countered the claim on the ground that a large number of minorities and settlers who live in GHMC area were concerned about their future if the area was made part of Telangana State.
They explained how the Congress and the MIM could bag majority of seats in GHMC area where the TDP-TRS combine was virtually routed in the last elections. The TDP could perform well in the GHMC elections as it parted ways with the TRS. The result was an indication of the voting pattern of the minorities and settlers who reinforced their concerns over the future status of Hyderabad.
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