Union home minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said that a movement towards a decision on controversial Telangana statehood demand would take place after the Id-ul-Zuha festival, which falls on November 7. The announcement has been welcomed by Telangana Congress MPs.
Addressing a press conference in the capital, Mr Chidambaram said Andhra Pradesh general secretary in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad has told various stakeholders in Andhra that there has been no movement on the issue owing to ongoing festival season. “The general secretary in-charge and the minister has told the groups that this is the festival season — Diwali and then the Id — and let the two festivals pass. Movement towards a decision will take place immediately after Id,” he said.
Reacting to the announcement, Rajya Sabha MP Keshav Rao said, “I welcome Mr Chidambaram’s statement. Even though he hasn’t said that when the decision would be taken, he has at least assured that the government would move in that direction.”
“We expect a favourable decision,” he added.
Answering to a volley of questions on Telangana, Mr Rao said the ultimate goal of all Telanganaites is a separate statehood and that he and his colleagues would continue to pressurise the Central leadership over the issue.