Telangana: Shinde's 1-month time frame disappoints TRS

New Delhi, Dec 29: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's declaration about a one-month time frame for the Centre to decide on the question of statehood for Telangana did not convince the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the latter expressed its disappointment with the all-party meeting held on the Telangana issue here on Friday.

TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao said he was disappointed with the government's lack of seriousness over granting statehood to Telangana and added that the Congress, Telugu Desham Party (TDP) and YSR Congress were ambivalent on the issue. He described the 'decision in a month' stand as an eyewash.

Prof. Kodandaram, chairman of the joint action committee (JAC) agitating for the separate Telangana state, said he was unhappy with the meeting and had expected the government to take a clear position.

The TRS has decided to protest against the reluctance of the Congress and other parties to take a stand on the statehood and the government's indecision by calling a strike on Saturday. The party will also announce its future course of action after discussing the issue with its representatives within a couple of days.

The Home Minister's announcement came a day after the TDP openly backed the demand for a separate Telangana state. This has given a stiff challenge to the Congress, which will have to work more than double to arrive at a conclusion on Telangana within a month's time.

The all-party meeting saw the BJP, CPI, TDP besides the TRS backing the creation of a new state. The CPI(M) preferred a united Andhra Pradesh but sought an early decision from the government. The meeting was attended by two representatives each from the Congress, TRS, TDP, YSR Congress, BJP, the two Left parties and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Andhra Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was also present.

The YSR Congress did not reveal its stand but hinted at backing the government's call on the issue. The AIMIM, which backed a united Andhra, said a separate state, if at all created, should comprise the Rayalaseema and Telangana regions and have Hyderabad as its capital. It opposed the idea of making Hyderabad as a Union Territory.

Shinde's predecessor P Chidambaram had announced three years ago that the process to form the Telangana state had been initiated and it led to widespread protests in the state. The decision was halted and Justice Srikrishna Committee was set up to examine the issue. The committee had submitted its report in Dec 2011 and an all-party meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chidambaram. It, however, remained inconclusive.

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