Centre asks political parties to decide on Telangana

The Centre once again called the political parties in   Andhra Pradesh to find out a solution for the Telangana imbroglio and asked them to take a unanimous decision on theissue of separate state of Telangana.

Responding to a Calling Attention Motion on the Telangana issue in the Lok Sabha on Friday the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram appealed to all sections to allow consultation process on the statehood issue to reach its logical conclusion.

 "The Government would like to make an earnest appeal to all sections of the people in Andhra Pradesh that they should allow the consultation process to reach its logical conclusion," he said.

He said the Centre was keeping a close watch on the political developments as well as the law and order situation in the state.

He further said  that as many as four political parties of Andhra Pradesh out of eight have not yet "made up their mind" on Telangana. Three parties - TRS, BJP and CPI - favoured carving out of the new state while CPI-M is opposed to the idea, he said.

The parties which have not made up their mind are the

ruling Congress, TDP, YSR Congress and MIM and Chidambaram requested these four parties, 

to make up their mind fast. He said, "We are urging the parties: kindly complete your process of consultation... then we can call a meeting."

The Home Minister appealed to the people of Andhra Pradesh, especially the youth to maintain calm and not to take any extreme step like suicide.

The House was divided during the debate on the Calling Attention Motion and the Home Minister remarked that he was responding with sadness as it was a "very divisive debate." 

Initiating the debate, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said that if a bill for formation of the Telangana state was introduced in the House then her party is ready to ensure 2/3 majority in its favour.

Chidambaram said that delay in the decision was due to the fact that "situation on the ground" altered after the December 9, 2009 announcement of the Centre on the issue of separate Telangana.

Chidambaram said the Srikrishna Committee had given  six options for solving the issue, including maintaining status quo, bifurcation of the state into Seemandhra and Telangana, with Hyderabad as a Union Territory, and the two states developing their own capitals in due course.

The other options include bifurcation of the state into Rayala-Telangana and coastal Andhra regions with Hyderabad being an integral part of Rayala-Telangana; bifurcation   of Andhra Pradesh into Seemandhra and Telangana with enlarged Hyderabad metropolis as a separate Union Territory, he added. This Union Territory will have geographical linkage and contiguity via Nalgonda district in the south-east to Guntur in coastal Andhra and via Mahboobnagar district in the south to Kurnool district in Rayalaseema, he said quoting the report.       

Another option is bifurcation of the state into Telangana and Seemandhra as per existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital.

The final option is keeping the state united by simultaneously providing certain definite Constitutional/ Statutory measures for socio-economic development and

political empowerment of Telangana region -- creation of a statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council.