Rahul Gandhi concentrating on Telangana, with a heavy package

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi appears to be concentrating on the Telangana issue as elections are nearing. Congress High Command is reportedly preparing to come out with a heavy package to pacify the protagonists of both Telangana and Seemandhra. Party leadership has come to the conclusion that state bifurcation would not be possible at this juncture as there is stiff opposition to it from the Seemandhra leaders. As an alternative the leadership thought about proposing either Rayala Telangana or a heavy package. The final inclination appears to be only towards package. It is learnt that employment, poverty alleviation and other sops were being offered as part of the package.

Reports said that the Congress party’s core committee came to the conclusion that conceding Telangana would not be possible and preferred package. The package would include employment, quota for political posts, national status to Pranahita and Chevella projects and separate fund for the backward districts of Telangana. While legality would be provided to some of the commitments, there would be clear assurance on the others. It is being said that Rahul Gandhi has been seriously concentrating about the problem and was keen on resolving it at the earliest.

However, both the Congress and non-Congress leaders of Telangana are unlikely to accept package or any other solution to the Telangana tangle. Even the Congress ministers who met recently made it clear that nothing short of Telangana would satisfy them.