Political parties of all hues, including the ruling Congress, Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday welcomed the Centre's decision to repeal a clause in a 1975 Presidential Order for the benefit of Telangana, while the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and student groups said they would continue their campaign till the orders are issued officially.
"This decision is, in fact, delayed. It will not impact the separate statehood demand in a big way. However, we thank the prime minister, Sonia Gandhiji and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for this decision. We will decide our future course of (action) on Wednesday," Congress MP G Sukhender Reddy said.
Telangana Congress MPs had earlier announced their decision to observe a fast on August 11. Reddy felt that that the fast may not be required in the wake of the Centre's decision to recommend to the President to repeal the clause 14 (F) of the Presidential Order that made Hyderabad a 'free zone for employment'.
Telangana supporters have been agitating for long for repealing the clause. The state assembly had earlier passed a resolution seeking its deletion.
Welcoming the Centre's decision, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu said in Delhi the government should get the President's consent without delay.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K T Rama Rao said that the party would continue its struggle for repeal of the clause until the orders are issued after President's assent.
The Telangana students groups announced that they will go ahead with their shut down on Wednesday for deletion of clause 14 (F).
