136 MLAs quit, PM says no haste

Hyderabad: With 136 resignations in a 294-member House already and more expected, the ruling Congress is groping for a way out of the Andhra Pradesh crisis. Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are up in arms against the Centre's decision to sanction a separate Telangana state.

Of the 136 MLAs who've resigned so far, 79 are from the Congress; 43 are from Chandrababu Naiud's Telugu Desam Party, and another 14 are from Chiranjeevi's Praja Raya Party.

Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were tense amid widespread and violent protests; a bandh  was called in Rayalaseema on Friday. Lawyers clashed at the High Court and student protestors stopped trains and smashed buses. (Read: Violent protests in Andhra again) Andhra MPs met the Prime Minister with an SOS call: "We are not in a position to go back to our region...the government must make a statement."

At the 40-minute meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the delegation that nothing would be done in haste on the creation of the separate state. The MPs also said there was no consensus on the issue yet and that the decision needed to be reviewed.

A rattled Congress is looking for damage control after the en masse resignations of its MLAs. It is caught between pro and anti-Telangana camps and is now trying to buy time on its decision to carve out Telangana. Nor can it allow its government to be reduced to a minority in the Assembly.

Sources say the Congress is now engaged in back channel talks with MLAs, MPs to evolve consensus. (Read: Worried by resignations, Congress in a huddle) In any case, the Congress has to evolve consensus to get the Telangana resolution passed in the state Assembly with the MLAs who have resigned refusing to budge. (Read: How a new state is created | What is Telangana?)

This despite top leaders of the Congress, including Sonia Gandhi, trying to pacify the MPs and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Many have said if they have to vote on a Telangana resolution, it has to be by secret ballot. And MP E Pratap Reddy said the party should not issue a whip.

Consensus is what Chief Minister K Rosaiah is also promising before next steps begin on the formation of the new state. He also asked political parties to take responsibility for protests, and to ensure that rallies are peaceful. (Read: Andhra CM says consensus the way forward)

Praja Rajyam Party chief and superstar Chiranjeevi too appealed for a consensus on the matter saying he was not against a separate Telangana state but the process must be right.

With so much circumspection, the words of Home Secretary GK Pillai were significant when he said that Hyderabad would be the capital of the Telangana state and that the process of the formation of new state of Telangana would continue. (Read: Hyderabad will be Telangana capital: G K Pillai) He said the agitations would eventually die down after the people understood the real implications of the move. 

It's not just the issue of dividing Andhra that has split the state wide open.  There's also the key matter of who gets Hyderabad.  The TRS says there can be no Telangana without the city.  That's not acceptable to the non-Telangana regions. And industry is now deeply worried about Hyderabad's brand equity taking a big hit. (Read/Watch: Brand Hyderabad hit by Telangana crisis?)

The Andhra Assembly, meanwhile, has been adjourned till Monday.

Meanwhile, the man at the centre of the Telangana movement, K Chandrasekhar Rao, or KCR, has left hospital after eight days.  KCR was on an indefinite fast as part of his campaign for Telangana.  His hunger strike evoked much passion among student groups and his party, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).

NDTV has also learnt that there is a gag order on spokespersons.