In a bid to mount pressure on the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre to move a legislation for the formation of Telangana state during the current session of Parliament, pro-Telangana parties and organisations will observe a Telangana bandh on Wednesday.
The strike call is likely to disrupt normal life in most parts of Telangana, especially in Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar and Warangal, where pro-Telangana sentiments are very strong.
The strike was called by Telangana Universities Teachers' Forum, a non-political outfit but it evoked response from almost all the pro-Telangana parties. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti has announced that it will actively participate in the strike and its cadre will work to make it effective and successful.
Several other parties including the BJP, the Nava Telangana Party and Telangana Talli Party of Vijayshanti have announced their support to the strike.
Prof. Kodandaram of the Telangana Universities Teachers' Forum said that the strike was the first step to bring pressure on the central and state governments. "There is not a single party opposed to Telangana state," he said, charging the Congress with playing games with the sentiments of the people of the region.
The state BJP President Bandaru Dattatreya also announced that party's leaders and workers will actively participate in the bandh. He claimed that only the BJP will deliver Telangana state on coming to power at the center next year. "Our party has already moved a private member's bill in Parliament and it will come up for the discussion on Friday," he said.
