The war of words between the Telugu Desam Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi intensified on Wednesday with TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao alleging that it was TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu who derailed the process of formation of Telangana state after the Centre had announced a positive decision over the issue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the formation of Telangana and promised complete central support to help take the state to newer heights of progress.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday asked the party's supporters, especially students, to be prepared for a 'great war' when the Srikrishna Committee submits its report. "A great war will be inevitable after December. We have to keep our weapons sharp. Party leaders said they will enroll 10 lakh members. If these 10 lakh come on to the streets after December, can the government function," he said while addressing the party's student wing.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday stayed all further proceedings, including arrest of Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter Kavitha.
On the eve of an all-party meeting on Telangana, Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday said the Centre should follow its announcement on creation of a separate state with a resolution in Parliament but set no deadline for it.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday rejected the Centre's reported move to go for a second State Reorganisation Commission on Telangana statehood issue and expressed helplessness if the agitation for the separate state took a violent turn.
Though the wily TRS supremo, credited with achieving the separate state of Telangana, stopped short of saying he was about to declare dissolution of the assembly, none doubted its imminence.
Widespread protests broke out in non-Telangana regions observing a day-long bandh on Friday to protest the division of the state with agitators damaging buses, staging demonstrations and resorting to road blockades.
The health condition of Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrasekhar Rao is deteriorating due to his fast-unto-death, but he is refusing medical treatment, a senior government official said on Tuesday night.
The war of words between the Telugu Desam Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti intensified on Sunday with TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao alleging that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had foiled the formation of a separate state of Telangana.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday said a 'civil war' might occur if the Sri Krishna Committee fails to grant separate statehood to Telangana.
Police have registered a case against TRS MP and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, K Kavitha, for her alleged comments on Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana.
The seven-point terms of reference of Sirkrishna committee announced by the central government has plunged Andhra Pradesh into a political uncertainty and pro-Telangana groups have given a call for strike in the region on Saturday.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Telangana leaders of other parties are ready for "any sacrifices" if the terms of reference (TOR) of the Srikrishna Committee are not in their favour, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said today.
A total of 74,44,260 voters will exercise their franchise using ballot papers to elect their representatives.
'When the Congress tied up with Chandrababu Naidu, they helped trigger Telangana pride.'
Seeking to mount pressure on the Centre for a favourable decision on the Telangana issue, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday demanded that all public representatives quit their posts by January 28 as per the deadline set by all-party Joint Action Committee (JAC).
Telangana Rasthra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Sunday that he would stay back in Delhi after the Centre-convened meet on Telangana on Tuesday to meet leaders of political parties in a bid to garner their support for the separate state.
The Telangana Political Joint Action Committee has issued an ultimatum to the Centre, asking it to announce a clear cut time-frame for the formation of a separate state by Monday evening, failing which an indefinite bandh would be called from December 29. "We will wait till Monday evening for the Centre's announcement, failing which there will be an indefinite bandh in the entire region from Tuesday," Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao said.
A day after alleged Telangana Rashtra Samithi activists attacked the shooting unit of a movie produced by his firm, noted Telugu actor M Mohan Babu on Wednesday said he would file a case against TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao for making 'inflammatory speeches' against people of Andhra and Rayalseema regions.
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti had backed the NDA on demonetisation, GST and in the elections to the post of President and Vice-President during its last term.
As his fast unto death entered its eleventh day on Wednesday, the condition of Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrashekar Rao has turned critical. Tension was mounting in the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, where Rao has been kept under observation in the Intensive Care Unit.
The United Progressive Alliance government on Wednesday said a solution to the contentious Telengana issue is 'under discussion' but refused to set a timeframe for it.Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said the issue is under discussion but the government has not yet arrived at a decision to the issue, which hogged the limelight following violent protests by the Telanagana Rashtriya Samiti and an indefinite hunger strike by its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah will be visiting New Delhi on Wednesday amid mounting pressure on the Congress to resolve the Telangana issue.
A Telangana sympathiser, who set himself on fire four days ago protesting the arrest of Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, succumbed to his burn injuries in a hospital in Hyderabad.
Telangana Rashtriya Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is on a fast-unto-death for a separate Telangana state, was admitted to a government hospital in Hyderabad on Thursday after being shifted from Khammam.Rao was put in the Khammam sub-jail after being arrested ahead of his proposed fast-unto-death at Siddipet in Medak district earlier this week.The TRS chief called off his fast within two days, after being admitted to the Khammam hospital, but resumed it later.
Many parts of Telangana regions erupted into violence as the police foiled the attempt of Rao to go on a fast-unto-death by arresting him on Sunday.
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti will never merge with any other party and will continue as the 'sole voice' of Telangana people even if statehood is granted to the region, party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Tuesday. His remarks assume significance in the wake of comments by Telugu Desam Party leaders that Rao would merge TRS with the Congress in return for formation of a separate Telangana. He reiterated his decision to make a Dalit the chief minister.
During his earlier visit, the IT giant chief addressed Microsoft's employees at its India Development Centre.
The BJP has incorporated caste as a significant component of its politics.
"So far about 300 people, included students, committed suicide for the cause of a separate Telangana state. Government of India never considered this. The Centre has clearly succumbed to the pressure exerted by the Andhra-Rayalaseema lobby," he alleged, adding, "It is a total betrayal of the people of Telangana. The terms of reference are totally immoral."
"The per capita income in Telangana is much more compared to the rest of the regions of Andhra Pradesh. According to the statistics that we have, Rayalseema is most underdeveloped. There are many parts of Rayalseema, which need a lot of attention, and when you compare this, Telangana is in a much better position," says Payyavula Keshav, Telugu Desam Party legislator since the past 17 years.
In a bid to find a way out of the Telangana imbroglio, the Centre on Wednesday convened a meeting in New Delhi on January 5 of 8 recognised political parties in Andhra Pradesh for a discussion on the issue.
Handed down by the Mahatma as a medium to peacefully protest for a cause, hunger strikes have, however, been used by many politicians for achieving individual and petty goals. Many leaders have been successful while some failed in getting their demands conceded, but fasting is still considered an effective weapon of protest in Indian polity.
TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday threw the ball in Centre's court on the creation of a separate Telangana state and insisted that Hyderabad will be the capital of the proposed state.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Friday said it is confident that the UPA leadership will fulfill the announcement it made for the formation of a separate Telangana state despite vehement opposition from other regions of Andhra Pradesh over the issue.
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who ended his 11-day fast undertaken to press for Telangana state, was shifted out from ICU of the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao was on Sunday detained near Karimnagar ahead of his proposed fast unto death for separate Telangana.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday threatened to launch a fast-unto-death if the party's demand for a separate Telangana state is not conceded by November. "I am demanding, declare Telangana in November. Otherwise, I am going to sit on a fast-unto-death. This is a warning. The consequences will have to be borne by the government of India and the government of Andhra Pradesh," he said.
The Telugu film industry get together for a grand wedding.