Article 189 vital for Telangana

Rajahmundry: The Article 189 of the Indian Constitution is very crucial in deciding the Telangana issue and under this, the opinion of both legislative Assembly and Council play crucial role, said state 20-point economic programme chairperson, APCC official spokesperson and East Godavari Congress in-charge Dr N. Tulasi Reddy here on Sunday.

Speaking to this correspondent, he said if majority of both Seem--andhara MLAs and MLCs could express their views against the bifurcation decision, there is every possibility of stalling the T- process.

After Indepen-dence, 14 states were divided in the country, all with the consent of the concerned state assemblies, except Punjab-Haryana, as the decission of division was taken during Presi-dent’s rule, he said.

Dr Tulasi Reddy said that once the opinion of the two state legislative bodies make their opinion clear, the decision of the President of India will be final, whether to send the bill to Parliament or can take the legal opinion, including that of the Supreme Court. So, the decision of the President of India will be crucial on the whole issue, he said.

Commenting on the reports of Chief Mini-ster N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s inclination to form a new political party after January 23 after the discussion on T- bill, the senior Congress leader said that he has no knowledge on the issue. APCC general secretary and former MLC Gidugu Rudra Raju also said that he too has no knowledge on the issue over floating of a new party by Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy.

However, East Godavari CPI(M) general secretary Dadala Subba Rao felt that Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy may not opt for a new party as many of his cabinet ministers, including MLAs, were in queue to join either the Telugu Desam or the YSR Congress.

There is no assurance that all those who are likely to quit the Congress will join hands with Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy as several of them are said to have already reserved their place in these two parties, the veteran CPM leader felt.