Lok Satta to boycott GoM on State bifurcation

The Lok Satta Party has decided to boycott the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the Union Cabinet on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and called upon other political parties to follow suit.

State Lok Satta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao announced the decision taken by the party's State Working Committee earlier today at a media conference.

Mr.Srinivasa Rao recalled that the Lok Satta has all along maintained that it would welcome formation of Telangana as part of a comprehensive and amicable solution. Far from working out such a solution, the Congress Party has viewed State bifurcation as a party issue with an eye on votes and seats in the next general election. When an agitation erupted in Seemandhra, the Congress appointed the A. K. Antony committee instead of a parliamentary committee or a committee of Union Ministers. The Lok Satta had set an example by rejecting the Antony committee.

The Center's egoistic, dictatorial, incompetent and immature handling of a delicate subject runs counter to the country's federal structure and threatens national unity, said Mr.Srinivasa Rao. That is why the Lok Satta has decided to boycott the GoM.

Mr.Srinivasa Rao recalled that when the State was rocked by agitations for a separate Telangana during 1969-70 and a separate Andhra during 1972-73, Union Government representatives held comprehensive discussions with State representatives for months and hammered out solutions. In contrast, the present GoM has called upon people to convey their views via emails instead of holding discussions with all sections of people in all regions although the subject involved the very existence of a large State and that too the first to be carved out on linguistic basis.

The methods of working chosen by the GoM dent the federal character of the country and widen the chasm between people of different regions.

If the Government of India realizes its folly and initiates comprehensive discussions with all sections of people with a sincere desire to find an amicable solution, the Lok Satta will have no hesitation in joining hands.

Mr. K. Omkar, Vice President, Mr. P. Ravi Maruth, General Secretary and Mr. N. Ravinder, Secretary, took part in the media conference.