According to indications from New Delhi, the party leadership is not even willing to talk about the statehood issue in the near future, though it was initially believed that there would be a positive indication from the high command in this regard as it wants to save the party at least in this region. “There are absolutely no chances of the party recovering in Rayalaseema region and though it can a few seats in the coastal Andhra, they are not enough to come back to power. So, it has to concede Telangana state, if it wants to protect its identity in the South India,” a Telangana Congress leader said.
However, the Congress leadership is of the view that it can bounce back in the Seemandhra region by 2014 by intensifying the probe against YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. And it is also of the view that the Telangana sentiment is fading out as was evident from the way the TRS had struggled in the recent Mahbubnagar by-elections and latest Parkal by-elections.
That was why AICC observer Valayar Ravi reacted violently when asked about the Telangana sentiment. “Is there a Telangana sentiment still? If that is the case, how can YSR Congress party get so many votes in Parkal by-poll?” he asked. His words clearly indicate the mindset of Sonia Gandh and she is unlikely to take the risk of bifurcating the state.
