Left blames Cong for chaos over Telangana issue

New Delhi, August 12 : CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechuri demanded advised the Centre not to play with the sentiments and emotions of people on the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Participating in the debate on Telangana in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Yechuri said that with 37 MPs in 2004 and 34 in 2009, the Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh were responsible for the formation of party’s government at the Centre. Therefore, he said that the decision to carve out Telangana was taken to gain political mileage in next elections. Describing the decision as “political opportunism” of Congress, he asked the party to explain its principal position. He said proper consultations should be held before taking a final decision as the issue could not be resolved in a haphazard manner.

D Raja of CPI held the Congress party responsible for the present turmoil in Andhra Pradesh after the announcement of formation of Telangana. He said that although the division was not a happy thing, the separation was inevitable and therefore, his party supported the demand for Telangana. He asked Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to clarify when the Cabinet Note would be prepared and the whole issue be sorted out.

While Naresh Agarwal of Samajwadi Party opposed the division of Andhra Pradesh, Veer Singh of Bahujan Samaj Party welcomed the Centre’s decision.

Vasudevan Maitreyan of AIADMK, K Kanimozhe of DMK and others participated in the debate. INN