Telangana: Congress legislators not to join TJAC

HYDERABAD: Telangana Congress legislators who had resigned to their posts on July 4 now want to play the role of a big brother in guiding smaller parties to intensify the Telangana movement. This is mainly intended to keep the leadership of the movement in their hands and not let it slip into the hands of either JAC or TRS.At a meeting held at the exhibition grounds in Nampally, the legislators who included three ministers - K Jana Reddy, Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and Basavaraju Saraiah, eight MPs, nine MLAs and five MLCs - decided not to join the TRS-backed Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC). But TJAC was free to consult them on building the movement, they said. “There is no question of joining the TJAC,” Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao said, briefing media on the decisions taken at the meeting which lasted for about three hours.Congress leaders want to involve in the activity of the people’s organisations that are part of the TJAC without joining the TRS. Though it is seen as an attempt to weaken the TJAC, Congress legislators deny it saying that it is all in the interest of the movement and that they have no personal axes to grind.The Telangana Congress representatives tentatively agreed to constitute a core committee comprising two members each from MLAs, MPs, MLCs and ministers to take decisions from time to time regarding the agitation. “It is difficult for all the legislators to meet each time to take a decision. That is why we want to have a core committee,” Keshava Rao said. The leaders also contemplated constitution of coordination committees with members from Telangana region and from Andhra region who want division of the state.“We are keen on Telangana. Any consultations with the party leadership should be on how to create a separate state. Till such a clear decision emerges, we will neither withdraw our resignations nor stop taking up agitation programmes,” Keshava Rao said.Outsiders Won’t Be Allowed in OU: AK KhanTwo days ahead of the proposed indefinite hunger strike by the students of Osmania University, city police warned that entry for all outsiders will be barred since they have to implement the Supreme Court order. Hyderabad police commissioner AK Khan, in a press release, said that in an earlier judgment Supreme Court said that no outsiders can organise meetings or any programmes in OU. “It is to clarify that no official permission has been granted by the police for the ‘Chalo Art College’ on July 11, nor have the organizers applied for any permission,” A K Khan said.Osmania University Joint Action Committee said that they will organise an indefinite mass hunger strike in campus until the union government announces the formation of a separate Telangana.  In a recent development, all the unions which earlier split from OUJAC due to infighting, have once again decided to unite for the cause of Telangana.  OU has remained peaceful for last two days. However, violence is expected to erupt once again when students start their indefinite hunger strike. OUJAC announced more that 1,000 students will participate in the strike.