The UPA government on Saturday indicated that the Telangana issue would be resolved within the next couple of days even as Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy exuded confidence that the matter would be sorted out to the satisfaction of the people of his state.
The Centre on Saturday stepped up the process of consultations on the demand for a separate state of Telangana by seeking the views of ministers from Andhra Pradesh in the Union Cabinet. The UPA government also dismissed rumours of President’s Rule being imposed to tackle the agitation.
Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, talking to the media here, said, “The consultation process is on. It may end on Monday.” To a specific question on whether the Congress would reveal its stand within two days, he was evasive, saying, “I can’t say that. I hope the issue will be resolved very soon.”
Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, at the end of the day, said the second round of consultations, set to begin Monday, wouldn’t take much time. Answering a question, he said, “The first round is over. It will not take much time in the next round.”
On speculation about President’s Rule, Mr Azad asked, “Why should President’s Rule come? How does it come? When should President’s Rule be imposed? What are the parameters?”
Talking to reporters after giving his assessment of the situation to Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr A.K. Antony, Mr P. Chidambaram, Mr Azad and Mr Ahmed Patel, chief minister N.K.K. Reddy said, “I have given my opinion. I said the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh should be satisfied. Soon there will be an amicable solution that will be beneficial to the people of the state.”
Expressing hope that the issue would be resolved to the satisfaction of all, the CM said, “The issue of Telangana is there for a long time. Now it is highlighted because of the persistent agitation. I think they will try to solve it as soon as possible.”
Earlier, top Congress leaders summoned Mr N.K.K. Reddy, deputy chief minister Damodhar Rajanara-simha, state Congress leader Botsa Satyanarayana and former state party president D. Srinivasan to get feedback on the issue even as Andhra Pradesh governor E.S.L. Narasimhan met President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union home minister P. Chidambaram and Union defence minister A.K. Antony and apprised them of the situation in the state.