Centre Will Take Decision on Telangana by Tuesday, PM to Cong MPs
Assuring a delegation of Congress MPs from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that the Centre will take a decision on the Telangana issue by Tuesday.
After meeting the PM, Congress MP KS Rao told reporters, “He (PM) said that he understands that it is a grave situation. He said he is sitting with his colleagues and by tomorrow a decision could be taken to bring things in order.”
Rao said that the delegation explained to the Prime Minister that situation was getting out of control in Andhra Pradesh day by day, that a stage might come when even if the government wanted to control it, it might not be possible and that they requested him to make some announcement to bring solace to the people.
The delegation which comprised of more than a dozen MPs also included Union Minister Panabaka Laxmi and Subbirami Reddy.
Rao stressed that after announcement of creation of Telagana, people of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions doubt that the process for the same has begun.
He observed that protest against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was spontaneous and people have undertaken fast unto death.
“We told the prime minister that we do not want any division of the state…He understood our position. In a surcharged atmosphere, this is not a situation to think about Telangana,” Rao said.
He said that the delegation told Singh that they were not asking for closing the Telengana issue but want a consensus on the issue after the atmosphere ‘cools down’.
“He (PM) said that is the way,” Rao said.
Responding to a query if they were demanding the formation of any committee to probe the matter, Rao said, “Let the government decide whether they will form a committee or call unbiased people and intellectuals, people who are not surcharged.”
Subbirami Reddy said that a decision should come otherwise the situation would go out of control.
“The Prime Minister said he will sit with his colleagues and bring a solution to the problem in a day or two. By tomorrow, he will have a meeting with his colleagues,” Reddy said, indicating that an announcement is likely either on Tuesday or the day after.
Meanwhile, another Congress MP from Tirupati, Chinta Mohan, who met Singh separately to invite him for the inauguration of an international airport there, said that the ‘Prime Minister wanted peace first’.
“The prime minister said that we will take a decision only after peace returns to the state,” Mohan said.
The MP said that he apprised Singh of the sentiments of the people about united Andhra Pradesh.
“He (PM) wanted immediate peace and said the issue would be solved soon,” Mohan added.
