This Article is From Jan 27, 2013

More talks needed with Andhra Pradesh leaders on Telangana statehood: Ghulam Nabi Azad

More talks needed with Andhra Pradesh leaders on Telangana statehood: Ghulam Nabi Azad
New Delhi: A decision on whether Andhra Pradesh should be split to create a Telangana state will miss tomorrow's deadline set by the government a month ago. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that more consultations were needed with leaders from the state and they would be invited to New Delhi for talks.

"We need more consultations with senior leaders of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh (coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema). We will invite them to Delhi along with the chief minister and state Congress chief," said Mr Azad, the Congress General Secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh.

"There is no deadline but the talks will be held as soon as possible," he said.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had on December 28 assured political parties that a decision on Telangana would be taken within a month. This was after a meeting called by him on the issue did not yield a breakthrough.

Mr Shinde had said the concerns of both pro-Telangana parties and those that did not want Andhra Pradesh divided would be considered while finding a solution.

The campaign for Telangana is being led by K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Protests were held by TRS and other pro-Telangana leaders in Hyderabad today.

At the Osmania University, a group of pro-Telangana students pelted stones at the police when they were prevented from taking out a rally towards the Governor's house. Legislators from the Telangana region also gathered in front of the Gandhi statue in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly premises and held a protest.

The Congress is yet to make its stand clear on Telangana. Some of its leaders from Andhra are in favour of a Telangana state, but there are other differing voices too within the party.

The BJP has said it favours the division of Andhra Pradesh, but the CPM and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen are opposed to this.

In 2009, Chandrasekhar Rao had launched a hunger strike to push the Telangana movement. The Centre set up a committee in 2010 under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge BN Srikrishna to find a solution. In its report, the committee gave the Centre several options.
.