The decision on the formation of a Telangana may take more time than expected, as the Congress has now said that the constituents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will have to take a final call on the issue.
Talking to reporters after the end of the Congress Core Committee meeting in Delhi, AICC general secretary and in-charge of AP Congress affairs Digvijay Singh said that the deliberations on the Telangana issue are over, and that it would now it be upto the UPA government to take a decision.
Although Digvijay Singh clarified that the Congress has taken its stand on the statehood issue, he added that it now leaves the final decision to the outcome of opinions to be given by UPA constituents.
Therefore, it now appears that the final decision on Telangana would be taken in the meeting of the UPA, and not in a meeting of the Congress Working Committee.
Analysts say that Digvijay Singh's statement has to be read between the lines. He has apparently tried to convey to people that the Congress has made up its mind on the stand to be taken on the Telangana issue, but also that the decision to accept or reject the demand for the formation of a Telangana state would be taken by the UPA.
Meanwhile, sources have indicated that the Congress High Command is in favour of a Telangana state, and that this has been conveyed to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and other senior leaders.
The High Command also reportedly ignored the representations made by Seemandhra ministers who are camping in New Delhi. (INN)