The possibilities of Telangana's Big Friday

Friday is a major day for the Telangana movement with the core committee expected to take a decision on the issue. A Member of Parliament from the region told Rediff.com that a decision to go ahead and form a separate state with 10 districts will be taken by the Congress on Friday.

However, there will be no decision on including the two districts from Rayalseema -- Ananthpur and Kurnool -- into Telangana.

While a section of Telangana MPs feel that the decision would be made by the Congress in favour of the separate state, the division in the United Progressive Alliance could be a deal breaker for the cause.

However, they also point out that the Congress may take some decision as the people are disgusted with its indecisiveness. If nothing happens on Friday then it would benefit the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the region and Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress in the rest of Andhra Pradesh.

In case the Congress does decide in favour of Telangana it would only be a start. The matter would then need to be placed before the UPA, and as matters stand, they appear to be divided on the issue.

The Congress would like to keep the people interested in the issue for now but try and push it till the general elections so that it is fresh in their minds and they could win the elections in the region.

The decision also continues to rely largely on the TRS with which the Congress is trying to ally. However, efforts are still on to patch up with Jaganmohan Reddy who is a force to reckon with in Rayalseema.

On the whole the Congress wants to ensure that it does not lose anywhere in the state.

Telangana activists say that they are getting a positive vibe, but the statement by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh has left them confused.

“He was not ready to give away anything and said that a decision either ways could be taken by the Congress,” an activist remarked.

Image: Supporters of Telangana show placards during a demonstration in Hyderabad

Photograph: SnapsIndia