Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde once again spoke about the cabinet note on the formation of a Telangana state, at a media conference in Delhi on Saturday.
Despite the assertion by the APNGOs' "Save Andhra Pradesh" meeting, in Hyderabad, that the Centre is not in a position to make move on Telangana, the Home Minister said that a cabinet note on the state's bifurcation is being prepared and would soon be placed before the cabinet for approval.
"The first phase of the process of Telangana state formation has commenced with the CWC's announcement. Now, the second phase is in progress," Shinde said, and made it amply clear by his stance that the process is now irreversible and irrevocable.
When asked about speculations regarding Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's plans to resign, Shinde firmly stated that there is no truth in such reports.
"The Chief Minister is very much there, and there is no truth in reports that he is planning to quit," he clarified.
On the question of Hyderabad, which has emerged as a major bone of contention between Telangana protagonists and integrationists, he said that there are "two to three options" being considered by the Central government.
He said that the Central government is keeping a close watch on the developments and outcome of the APNGOs "Save Andhra Pradesh" meeting held in L B Stadium in Hyderabad.
He also said that barring two political parties, all parties in Andhra Pradesh had given letters to the Centre favouring the carving out of a Telangana state. (INN)