The emergency meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee executive, the Congress Legislature Party and Party members from the state ended on a peaceful and cordial note.
No fireworks were witnessed and only three leaders -- Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president K Keshav Rao, Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of AP affairs Digvijay Singh-spoke at the two-hour-long meeting.
Contrary to expectations, contentious issues like Pothireddypadu head regulator controversy, Telangana issue and the caste and regional feuds in the party were not raised by anyone at the meeting. All the central and state ministers, barring Union Minister for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao and State Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, attended the meeting, apart from MPs, MLAs and PCC office-bearers.
Keshav Rao, who spoke at the outset, gave a brief account of the political situation, particularly the recent developments involving the TRS and the Congress on the one hand and the intra-party bickerings among Congress leaders on the other.
The Chief Minister, who spoke next, said that Andhra Pradesh was on the path of rapid progress. The Congress government has been striving to fulfil all the poll promises (made in 2004) one by one. Developmental activities were going on well.
"So far as Telangana issue is concerned, we have left it to AICC president Sonia Gandhi for her decision.
There is no change on the stand of the state Congress leadership on this issue. In the meantime, development of Telangana on various fronts has been taken up in a big way," Dr Rajasekhar Reddy pointed out and recalled that six months ago, when TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and APCC president K Keshava Rao met in Delhi, they had stated that both parties left the issue to Sonia Gandhi to sort out.
Digvijay Singh complimented the government on the progress achieved in the last two and a half years. He recalled that he was made AICC general secretary and put in charge of AP soon after the 2004 elections. As such, he had first-hand knowledge of the issues in Andhra Pradesh.
He said that while some issues had been solved, some other contentious issues would take time to be sorted out. Some issues had emotional connotations, especially the water issues. Some of these issues were discussed in the PCC, CLP, PCC-Government coordination meeting as well as in the Assembly. But some leaders were still talking about the water issues. "Don't go to the press unnecessarily and don't make big issues out of nothing," he advised the party leaders.
Referring to the Telangana issue, he said that the TRS ministers quit the Union Cabinet due to their own political compulsions. Despite the best efforts and appeals from the Congress, they chose to go out. However, the UPA had been trying to evolve consensus on the issue through consultation with all the parties. So far as Congressmen were concerned, they have left the issue to Sonia Gandhi.
Talking about the war of words among party leaders, particularly between Siddipet MP Sarvey Satyanarayana and Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, he bluntly said, "If you have faith in and affection for the Congress, you can continue in the party. Otherwise, you may go out whenever you like." He made it clear that the party high command would not tolerate indiscipline and bickering.
"With folded hands, I am requesting you to obey the high command's directive not to talk about sensitive issues like Telangana in the public. If you defy this directive, stern action will be taken against you. If you have any issues to raise, discuss them with PCC president and the chief minister. If you are not satisfied, I am also available to you," he told the party leaders.
