New Delhi:
Dismissing the charge of "flip flop" on the part of Centre on Telangana issue, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said the January 5 meeting of political parties from Andhra Pradesh is to devise a "mechanism and roadmap" on resolving the problem.
"The January 5 meeting is the first step in the consultations. In the first step we have called the recognised parties in the state to devise a mechanism and a roadmap (on the issue," he told a press conference, the state chief minister has been invited to the meeting in his official capacity.
He said as the consultation process progresses the issue of involving people beyond the 8 recognised parties could be thought of.
Referring to the two statements he had made on Dec 9 and Dec 23 on the issue of separate Telangana, Chidambaram said there has been criticism that there has been a flip-flop on the part of the Central government.
"There was no flip-flop on the part of the Central government, which simply responded to the situation in Andhra Pradesh. We simply responded to the wishes of the people of Andhra Pradesh. I hope you don't call the Jan 5 meeting a flip-flop," he said.