New Delhi:
With the political crisis in Andhra Pradesh deepening every day, the highest body of the cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, will meet on Tuesday evening to hunt for a solution.
The meeting will see the Congress' allies in the UPA government sharing their opinion on whether a new state of Telangana should be created. The government sanctioned the new state in a surprise announcement on Wednesday night. Angry MLAs in Andhra, 146 in all, have quit in protest. Among them are 80 Congress MLAs, which means that if their resignations are accepted by the Andhra speaker, the Congress government in the state will become a minority government.
The revolt within the Congress is being led by L Rajagopal, the party's MOP from Vijayawada. He has begun a hunger fast today. On Monday, Rajagopal was stopped twice from the police by going on a public hunger strike. Rajagopal and other Congress MLAs who have resigned are urging more Congress MLAs to join them. (
Read: Rajagopal on 'United Andhra' hunger strike)
The very public split within the Congress was visible in Parliament today when Jagan Mohan Reddy, the son of former Andhra chief minister YSR Reddy, joined Opposition MPs chanting anti-Telangana slogans. (
Read: YSR Jr embarrasses Congress over Telangana)
The MPs were from Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Naidu, analysts say, is using the Congress crisis to push for mid-term elections in Andhra. (
Read: Is TDP eyeing mid-term polls in Andhra?)
On Monday, Naidu accused the Congress central party leadership of "humiliating" its chief minister, K Rosaiah by not taking him into confidence about its plans to sanction a new Telangana state.
One of the problems confronting the Congress now is whether a resolution on Telangana should be moved in the Andhra Assembly. If that happens, it is likely to be defeated, causing huge embarrassment to the Congress.
On Monday, the Andhra Assembly was adjourned indefinitely, in a move that has allowed the Congress to buy time for a reconciliation. Currently, though, a truce both within the party, and with other anti-Telangana groups, seems unlikely.