A no-confidence motion over Telangana seems to be staring at the UPA government on the first day of Parliament session beginning on February 5. Congress MPs from Seemandhra region have decided to move the motion, upset by the party leadership's move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. They are likely to receive support from four Telugu Desam MPs and are banking on BJP to lend its numerical might.
"During the Winter session, we had the support of 70 MPs, but we did not press it since the Lokpal Bill was being debated and Anna Hazare was sitting on fast. But this time, we hope BJP will support us," Congress MP from Rajahmundry, Arun Kumar, said.
Even as this was being planned, Andhra CM Kiran Kumar Reddy (inset) fired a fresh salvo at the Centre, accusing it of sending a "defective Bill," arguing that a draft Bill cannot be sent to the Assembly. "If Bill in the present form is presented in Parliament, I will quit politics," thundered Reddy , asking, "Why are Telangana MLAs afraid of voting on resolution to reject the Reorganisation Bill, if they believe the opinion of the Assembly does not matter?" he asked.
On Saturday, the CM had given notice to move a resolution to reject the Reorganisation Bill. That provoked a ruckus in the House, with Telangana ministers storming the Well of the Assembly, raising slogans against their own CM. Must Read: Taking stock: Cong on tenterhooks as trust deficit grows among allies
The headaches for the Congress do not end there. Two rebel candidates, Prabhakar Reddy and Chaitanya Raju, have been propped up by Seemandhra Congress MLAs for Rajya Sabha elections from the state. This could threaten the chances of the three official Congress candidates.
And the battle is already getting dirty. While Chaitanya Raju offered to withdraw his candidature if the High Command reverses its decision to divide the state, Reddy alleged that he was being threatened to withdraw from the race by two of the Congress official candidates.
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