Hyderabad/New Delhi: The Congress is facing more trouble in Andhra Pradesh with some party leaders meeting in Hyderabad to decide on their stand on Telangana. In Delhi former party MP Jaganmohan Reddy is on a one-day hunger strike to protest against the 'great injustice' meted out to Andhra Pradesh in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal award.
The meeting on Telangana will be attended by party MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district party presidents and other functionaries, Congress Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao said in Hyderabad on Monday. Rao claimed that Congress leaders want Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.
The Telangana Congress leaders would try to convince the party high command about formation of a separate state, he said. A day after the Srikrishna Committee report was made public on December 30, the Congress MPs and MLAs held a meeting and announced that they are ready to quit their posts for the sake of Telangana.
Meanwhile, Jaganmohan, son of late Andhra chief minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy, is claiming the support of at least two Congress MPs and 24 MLAs on the issue of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal award.
Jagan, who has announced his plans to launch a new party, is on a fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi along with his supporters which includes Congress MPs Sabbam Hari and Rajamohan Reddy. Leaders from other political parties in Andhra Pradesh were also present at the dharna site.
Two MLAs from film-star turned politician Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), Shoba Naga Reddy and K Rama Reddy, and TDP's Bal Naga Reddy and Prassana Kumar Reddy also attended the fast, which coined the slogan 'farmers' right, Andhra Pradesh fight' and 'our water our right'.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA Rehman was also present at the site of the dharna besides former state ministers, Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Surekha. The protest is being held under the banner of the 'Jal Deeksha'.
The former Congress MP from Kadapa, who had resigned from the party in November last, arrived in New Delhi on Monday night by a special train along with his supporters.
Jagan had left the Congress in November 29, 2010 after criticising the top leadership including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi. He has also filed an application with the Election Commission for registering a new political party.
Jagan apparently wanted to become the chief minister after his father YSR's death in a helicopter crash in 2009. The rift emerged after the Congress declined his wish to succeed his father as the chief minister of the state.
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