Telangana protests live: Cabinet nod to bill unlikely today

10.45 am: More amendments to T-bill, Kiran Kumar Reddy on dharna

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has made it clear to his bosses in the Congress party that he will oppose the proposed bifurcation of the state for the creation of the state of Telangana even if it means disciplinary action against him.

The YSR COngress's JaganmOhan Reddy has upped the ante against the Congress party too.

Police remove Telangana MLAs and MLCs who were obstructing the bus of AP CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy near AP Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI

The final session of Parliament before Lok Sabha elections this summer has perhaps become the anti-telangana protestors' biggest platform, with demonstration outside Parliament, at Jantar Mantar and in parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Clearly nervous and with the political gains still unclear, the Congress top brass has blinked first -- the bill is not likely to be taken up by the Union Cabinet of ministers today, though there is no indication whether its anticipated introduction in Parliament on Mondya, 10 February will also be deferred. More amendments are to be made in the draft, though a Group of Ministers already okayed the draft on Tuesday. The GoM may now revisit the draft bill, sources told CNN-IBN.

Regardless, protests against the proposed bifurcation of the state are expected to grow to a crescendo today.

The latest delay could be some sort of appeasement for Seemandhra MPs even as discontent within the Congress threatens the party's prospects in the coming elections.

The bill is being brought before the Cabinet despite legislators of Andhra Pradesh rejecting it last week. The Andhra Pradesh Assembly's feedback is, however, not binding on the Centre, the referral to the state itself being only a Constitutional requirement and a formality.

"The party has become a hostage to the divisive forces. The problem is if we quit Congress, nothing is going to stop. We want to tell the party leadership that whatever they are doing is not correct. It will harm everyone," Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal told CNN-IBN during a panel discussion, giving the Seemandhra perspective. Rajagopal is from the Congress faction that wants to keep Andhra Pradesh united. Reddy also urged President Pranab Mukherjee to "use his powers" to stop the creation of Telangana. reddy met Mukherjee on Wednesday afternoon. The Congress party appears keen to have the bill passed during the current session of Parliament, the last before elections, in order to make way for still-unclear electoral gains in Telangana.