Chandrababu Naidu's 2-eyed pangs

Suspecting that the Centre is poised to make an important announcement on the Telangana issue on or before Sept 17, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu seems to have decided to wait till Sunday to finalise the route map and other arrangements for his proposed padayatra, scheduled to commence on October 2.

Naidu held yet another meeting with senior party leaders at his residence late Friday evening to discuss the arrangements. Party sources said he is watching the developments in Delhi on the Telangana issue.

Lest he preempted by an announcement on Telangana in the coming days, Naidu is said to have decided to hold his cards for a while longer.

‘’Everything is ready. We are only waiting for a move from Delhi on the Telangana issue. We may have to wait till Sunday,’’ a senior leader close to Naidu said.

Party cadres suspect that the Congress wants to build pressure on the YSR Congress Party to merge with the mother party and, on the other front, take a decision on Telangana followed by a merger with the TRS.

 Against this backdrop, the TDP president has decided to tread with caution on the matter of handing in a letter to the Centre declaring his stance on separate statehood, they said.

 ‘’Discussions are in full swing in Delhi and, if we give our letter without weighing all factors, we may face political problems in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema,’’ a senior TDP leader said.

 Sources said that if Delhi’s delaying tactics continue, the TDP will go ahead and give its letter to the Centre and the party chief will proceed with his padayatara from Telangana.

 If Centre makes an announcement to a separate state, the TDP chief may have to move his padayatra.