Telangana Cong MLAs end boycott of AP House

In a relief for the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh, the party's members of legislative assembly from Telangana region on Monday ended their boycott of the ongoing budget session over the raging Telangana issue. The decision came following a meeting they had with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and state Congress president D Srinivas in the assembly buildings.

The Congress MLAs from Telangana have unanimously decided to end their boycott as they have a responsibility to see that the state budget is passed and that a whip has been issued for the ongoing legislative council elections, Congress MLA Arepalli Mohan told mediapersons after the meeting.

He hoped that the Centre would take a positive decision on the separate statehood demand after the completion of the elections in five states. He, however, asserted that they would continue to raise their voice for a separate Telangana inside the house.

Replying to a query, he said that they had asked the chief minister about the Telangana demand. "The chief minister and centre is likely to call a meeting of political parties from the state to discuss the Sri Krishna committee report soon. The chief minister also said he would abide by centre's decision," he added.

The Telangana Congress MLAs and members of legislative council have been staying away from the assembly session since early this month in support of the Telangana demand. The main opposition Telugu Desam MLAs and MLCs from Telangana have also been boycotting the session. Congress MLC and All India Congress Committee secretary P Sudhakar Reddy said the Prime Minister and other top leaders have already made it clear that the Telangana issue is being considered seriously.

Asserting that attending the assembly session is not a climb down, he said it does not amount to stopping the agitation for a separate Telangana. He slammed Telangana political joint action committee convener M Kodandaram for saying that 'The Andhra Pradesh assembly is dead and that the JAC would conduct the rituals performed after death'.

"The assembly will be around even after Telangana is formed. It is part of constitutional system. Someone may make similar comments against the assembly even after it is formed. Such comments should not set a precedent. These comments are highly condemnable and I demand that Kodandaram withdraw them," Reddy said.