'No move to dilute Cong leaders' Telangana stir

Two Congress MPs from Telangana region dismissed reports that there was a proposal to pacify the agitation by offering political posts to the agitators and said there was "no compromise" on their commitment to a form a separate state.

"There is no move or proposal to pacify or dilute the Telangana agitation or leaders by offering them cabinet berths or any other posts. There is no compromise in our fight for separate Telangana," Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar told reporters in Hyderabad after a meeting of party MPs from Telangana.

He dismissed media reports that there is a move to pacify the Telangana leaders and agitators by offering them key positions.

The continuation of D Srinivas as state unit president, the possible union cabinet expansion or the reported move by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to appoint a reputed Telangana lawyer as advocate general are not aimed at cooling the tempers of the Telangana agitators, he said.

"Formation of separate Telangana is our goal and our activity would go to any extent for that. Congress party is mulling ways to clear the way for formation of Telangana. They don't want to prolong the matter. Telangana Congress MPs, MLAs are only trying to strengthen the party," he said.

Congress MP from Nalgonda G Sukhender Reddy told PTI that the meeting discussed the two meetings the Telangana Congress MPs had with the high command earlier and the road ahead.

"We discussed what to say in our next meeting with the top leaders. We felt that we should stick to our stand (for a separate Telangana)," he said. Interestingly, Reddy has made a proposal to the Congress top leaders to divide Andhra Pradesh into three separate states - Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. "I have given a proposal in writing to the top leaders. One of the main hurdles for the formation of Telangana is the incompatibility and apprehensions between coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. So, I suggested that Andhra Pradesh can be divided into three parts. That is an amicable solution to the problem," Reddy said.

The contentious issues are the share of river waters and safety of "settlers" in Hyderabad in the event of formation of separate Telangana and they can be addressed by putting in place a mechanism for water-sharing and Hyderabad can be the common capital for the three proposed states for some years, he said.

The proposal made by him is being studied by the high command, Reddy added.