Muslims in Hyderabad, who constitute 41 per cent of the population in the metropolis, do not want a separate state of Telangana to be created, the Srikrishna panel said noting that they would feel more secure in the larger state of united Andhra Pradesh.
Film star-turned-politician and Praja Rajyam Party chief Chiranjeevi on Thursday announced his resignation from the state assembly in protest against the decision of the Central government to start the process for the formation of Telangana state by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
In a major political development, Praja Rajyam Party chief and Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi resigned from the state assembly on Thursday, in a bid to throw his weight for a united Andhra Pradesh.
A meeting of political leaders from Rayala Seema region, held to discuss the stand to be taken before the Srikrishna Commission on the issue of bifurcation of the state, has sent ripples among the supporters of united Andhra Pradesh. Senior Congress leader and former minister J C Diwakar Reddy has shocked the leaders from coastal Andhra region by suggesting that Rayala Seema should be a part of Telangana rather than Andhra.
The Centre on Friday announced seven-point terms of reference for the Telangana committee, saying the panel will consult all sections of people in Andhra Pradesh, especially political parties, on the demand of a separate state. The five-member committee, headed by Justice (Retired) B N Srikrishna, will "examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh with reference to demand for a separate state of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of united AP.
The Andhra Students Joint Action Committee, which is opposing the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh has called for a day's strike in all the educational institutions in Andhra and Rayala Seema region on Monday. The call was given in protest against the police stopping Guntur to Hyderabad Padyatra (walk) by a group of students of Acharya Nagarjuna University in supported of a united Andhra Pradesh.
The general strike called against the ongoing Telangana agitation in Andhra and Rayalseema region turned violent at many places on Monday. The bandh called by the all party Joint Action Committee in favour of united Andhra Pradesh hit the normal life in all the 13 districts of the two regions.
Telugu Desam Party legislator D Umamaheswar Rao, who is on an indefinite fast in support of a united Andhra Pradesh, was 'very weak' and unable to speak, his doctors said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Congress Member of Parliament Lagadapati Rajagopal also continued his fast against the creation of Telangana state in a city hospital. "Umamaheswar Rao is not able to speak. He is very weak but stable," doctors said.
Lagadapati Rajagopal, 45, an industrialist-turned-politician, is a second term member of the Lok Sabha from Vijaywada constituency -- the commercial capital of Andhra Pradesh.
The police are on the look out for Congress Member of Parliament L Rajagopal, who escaped from a city hospital where he was admitted after being brought from a hunger strike site over the Telangana issue.
Dr Srinivas Raj, one of the leaders of the Telangana movement has prepared a ready reckoner on the issue. Raj along with several others has been distributing this booklet among the people of Telangana and convincing the people as to why this movement is important and how their lives would change once their state is given back to them.
Even as all eyes were focused on the high drama involving Vijaywada MP L Rajagopal, many other leaders continued their indefinite fast in support of United Andhra Pradesh at as many 49 places across coastal Andhra and Rayala Seema regions.
The rumblings of discontent in Telugu Desam Party have assumed serious proportions with another senior party leader revolting against party president N Chandrababu Naidu.
President's Rule imposed in united Andhra Pradesh was revoked partially on Monday to facilitate swearing in of a government in the newly-created Telangana headed by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Breaking his silence on the Telangana issue, Kadapa Member of Parliament Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Tuesday said he stands for a united Andhra Pradesh and alleged that the Telugu Desam Party and its chief N Chandrababu Naidu were responsible for the current situation in the state.
President Pranab Mukherjee created a flutter in the Congress party by agreeing to meet 40 Congress MLAs from Andhra Pradesh.
The party leadership is all set to announce a new pro-Telangana stand on Thursday as a Dussehra gift to the people of Telangana by extending its support to the six-decade-old demand for a seperate Telangana state.
Now that the Telangana state has taken birth with a chief minister at the helm, Vicky Nanjappa / Rediff.com gives a lowdown on the changes that people, who were once part of the united Andhra Pradesh, will go through
The West Bengal government arrested Binay Tamang, one of the top leaders of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and a member of its central committee, around midnight on Wednesday.
YSR Congress President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said that he would undertake an indefinite fast in Hyderabad from on Saturday against the Centre's decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
The Budget and related appropriation bills were passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Pro and anti-Telangana supporters on Wednesday clashed with each other during a protest outside the Andhra Bhawan in New Delhi in support of their demands.
Normal life remained paralysed for the second consecutive day in the 13 districts of the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the state following the bandh call by Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers and YSR Congress against the tabling of the Telangana bill in Lok Sabha.
Telugu Desam Party Member of Parliament and son of N T Rama Rao, N Harikrishna on Thursday resigned from Rajya Sabha in protest against the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu will be sworn-in as the first chief minister of Andhra Pradesh state at a grand event at 7.27 pm on Sunday.
The last session of Parliament started off on a noisy note as pro and anti-Telangana MPs sparred with each other on the floor of the two houses.
The assertion comes amid speculation that the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh might rethink its ties with the BJP in view of its disappointment over allocation of funds to the state in the Union Budget.
YSR Congress President Jaganmohan Reddy, who was admitted to a hospital on October 9 after being forcibly evicted by police from the site of his fast to protest bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, was discharged on Saturday.
Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions continued to simmer over the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh as supporters of united Andhra Pradesh organised massive protests across the two regions.
Andhra Pradesh Minister for Infrastructure and Investment Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Thursday resigned from his post in the backdrop of mounting protests across Andhra-Rayalaseema regions against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's decision to bifurcate the state.
Assembly elections in Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh may not be held along with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress party's reported proposal to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh has those not in favour of the move, especially in the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions, up in arms.
It has been virtually a ten-year wait that's coming to a happy end for the 47-year-old leader, who nurtured the ambition of becoming chief minister soon after his father's death in September 2009.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday warned that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will spawn a host of problems, including political instability, Naxal threat, terrorism and communal violence.
YSR Congress Party on Friday called a general strike across Andhra Pradesh protesting the tabling of Telangana Bill in Lok Sabha terming it as a "mockery" of democracy.
A decision on the vexed issue of Telangana is expected before Monsoon session of Parliament which is likely to start after August 15.
Defence Minister A K Antony, who has been briefing the Congress high command about the steps to be taken to create the state of Telangana, has stated that the party needs to make its intentions clear for the people of Andhra Pradesh.
Three bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid uproar with members from Left parties trooping into the Well to protest against rising prices of onion while other members raised the Telangana issue.
The Congress appears to be veering round to taking a call on the contentious Telangana statehood issue with party leader in charge of Andhra Pradesh saying consultation process is over and time for a decision has come.