Congress forms own panel as Telangana credit race hots up

It’s official. Congress leaders are no more part of the political joint action committee (JAC) formed to press for a separate state of Telangana. In an indication that the state may be carved out soon, party leaders from the region decided to formally walk out of the committee on Friday and set up a Telangana Congress Action Committee. They also set a September 30 deadline for the Justice Srikrishna Commission, examining the possibility of the state, to submit its report.“If the committee fails to complete the process by September 30, we will resign,” senior Congress leader Jana Reddy said.He said the new action committee would try to take the movement forward and consolidate Congress cadres at the grassroots level. This would convince the people of Telangana that only Congress can accord statehood to the region, he said.Though Congress seniors refused to comment on the urge to take credit for Telangana getting statehood, party sources said the high command was keen on it.“There is no reason why we should help leaders of other parties emerge heroes when Congress is taking the burden of creating a state,” a Congress leader said.Meanwhile, the state machinery is gearing up to tackle a march planned by student members of JAC to assembly on Saturday, when the state budget would be presented.