At least three Congress MLAs from Telangana region are likely to join Telangana Rashtra Samiti, a move which will deepen the crisis in the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh over the separate statehood issue.
Protesting Congress’ dilly-dallying on the separate statehood issue, MLAs Jupally Krishna Rao from Kollapur in Mahbubnagar district, S Satyanarayana from Ramagundam in Karimnagar and T Rajaiah from Station Ghanpur in Warangal on Saturday said they are ready to resign from the party in a day or two.
MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who was also a former minister, too announced he will quit Congress if it did not immediately take a favourable decision on creation of Telangana state and would launch an indefinite hunger-strike in his native Nalgonda village from November 1 on the issue.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana reportedly spoke to MLA S Satyanarayana and tried to placate him but to no avail.
“We are under immense pressure from people in our constituents and we are unable to show them our face. It is becoming extremely difficult for us to continue as ruling party members,” said a Congress MLA, who did not want to be named.
Congress is in deep trouble in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions with 26 MLAs quitting the party and joining YSR Congress of Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
Now, the Congress’ continued indecisiveness on the contentious statehood issue is set to cost it heavily in the Telangana region as well, political analysts said. [PTI]