Telangana issue could cast a shadow over Friday's AICC meet

The issue of separate Telangana could cast a shadow over the All India Congress Committee meeting on Friday with Congress leaders from Seemandhra region on Thursday threatening to hold a dharna outside the venue over denial of entry to them.

A prominent MP from Seemandhra region told PTI that six MPs from the region --Vundavalli Aruna Kumar, Sabbam Hari, Rayapati Samba Siva Rao, Sai Pratap, Harsha Kumar and L Rajagopal -- have been denied passes for the AICC meet.

The MP, who did not want to be named, termed the decision not to allow them entry as an "undemocratic" action of the party leadership.

He said that the passes have been denied without giving any notice to them.

"It is a democratic party. How can they do like this? It is undemocratic. They have not given us anything," the MP said.

The MP said that if the leadership failed to issue him the entry pass, he would stage a dharna in front of the Talkatora Stadium, the venue of the AICC meet.

There was no immediate reaction from AICC on the issue.

The denial of passes has come in the backdrop of reports that the issue of separate Telangana could generate heat in the AICC meeting, the first after the decision of CWC to divide Andhra Pradesh.

L Rajagopal had even sought permission of the central leadership to move a resolution against the division of the state at the crucial party conclave.

In a letter two days ago to party General Secretary in-charge of Organisation, Janardan Dwivedi, the Vijayawada MP had said that the party had got the mandate in Andhra Pradesh in 2009 against the decision and it would be a "mockery of democracy" if any decision is taken contrary to the people's mandate and will.

Citing rules in the party constitution for moving a non-official resolution, he had said, "In the national interest, we oppose further division of states. It is resolved to reverse the July 30, 2013, CWC Resolution of requesting the central government to take steps in accordance with the Constitution of India to form a separate state of Telangana."

Congress in the state is divided on regional lines as also other parties on the issue of Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh is the only major state where Congress is in power on its own for the past 10 years.