Telangana formation ''remote'' as Left; SP oppose, Cong silent

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The silence of the Congress and opposition of the Left parties and the Samajwadi Party have made the possibility of formation of separate Telangana state ''remote,'' RJD leader and Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, said today.

Prof Singh, who was also a member of the Sub Committee formed on the Telangana issue, told reporters that his party, the Nationalist Congress Party, and the BSP were in favour of the formation of Telangana.

However, since the Congress, Shiv Sena, Biju Janata Dal, and the DMK were silent and the Left parties and the SP against the formation, the separate state seemed unfeasible, he said.

When pointed out that even the BJP was supporting the Telangana formation, he said it was just verbal support on the basis of which the Bill for the formation of a new state could not be moved in Parliament.

Moreover, the first requirement of the state Assembly passing a resolution regarding the formation of a separate state has not been fulfilled in the case of Telangana as had happened earlier during the formation of other three states, he pointed out.

He said the Sub Committee, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, was still in the process of consultation with various groups and parties and would submit its report later.

Mr Singh said he and NCP leader Sharad Pawar had advised the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti leader K Chandrashekhar Rao not to resign from the Union Cabinet as such struggle could not be fought in isolation.

However, Mr Rao resigned from the post, he added.

UNI