When Lawmakers Cower

The last few elected representatives of Telangana need police cover after an ultimatum asks them to resign

HYDERABAD ~ The heavy police deployment outside Congress minister Mukesh Goud’s house in Hyderabad gives away how scared Andhra legislators are after the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) issued an ultimatum asking all Telangana MLAs, MPs and legislative council members to resign and support the formation of a separate state. Goud is among a handful of legislators who have not yet resigned. Another legislator put up a sticker saying ‘Resigned Telangana MLA’ prominently on his car to escape an unruly mob. Police action prevented Telangana volunteers from attacking Union Minister Jaipal Reddy’s house in Jubilee Hills, angry that he hasn’t yet resigned and joined their campaign. Telangana Rashtra Samithi activists also attacked the houses of Congress and TDP elected representatives in Warangal district who did not resign.

In the 17 months since the ‘T’ campaign began with TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s fast, Congress legislators from Telangana have remained patient despite being at the receiving end of jeers, eggs, tomatoes and sometimes even stones. But now, the stones are getting bigger and the threat of physical violence looms large. They have to be seen taking a stand. Apart from Goud and three others, more than 100 legislators from Telangana cutting across party lines have submitted resignations, threatening to plunge Andhra Pradesh into a constitutional crisis.

If this were not enough, the JAC has chalked out several programmes including calls for a bandh in educational institutes on 7 July, a ‘rail roko (strike)’ on 8-9 July and a ‘vanta-varpu’ (cooking protest on the roads) in the districts on 10 July.

But the Congress High Command still does not see any threat after prolonged inaction on the festering ‘T’ issue. It still imagines it has time till 2014 when this Assembly will dissolve automatically after its term. Congress insiders say all its legislators cleverly sent a single line resignation letter to the deputy speaker, who has no power to accept or reject such letters. “There is a process involved. The deputy speaker will forward it to the speaker, who will then decide on its merit. The legislators are facing the heat and just buying time before the Centre makes a placatory announcement. After spending so much money to get elected, who would want to quit?” asks one of the leaders.

Incidentally, the 11 TRS legislators and the sole BJP MLA who had resigned the last time on the statehood issue were re-elected with a thumping margin only a few months ago. Now, to consolidate the movement, TRS is in talks with the Salahuddin Owaisi-led Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which has five MLAs.

Rao, speaking at a dharna, said those MLAs who resigned had nothing to fear. “If we don’t achieve Telangana now and there are bypolls, the people of Telangana will re-elect you with a majority.” He also criticised the Centre for harping on a consensus and all party meetings in deviation from its 9 December 2009 offer.

(Also read Dummy Declarations)

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Anil Budur Lulla