Azad Submits Telangana Report

A few hours before the meeting of Congress Working Committee, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad submitted the much-awaited report on the Telangana crisis to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday. Azad had prepared the report after holding discussions with the several leaders, from both Telangana and Seemandhra.

Azad had also promised that he would consider the views of people of both the regions.

However, it was not known as to what exactly Azad's recommendations are regarding Telangana.

It is based on this report that the Congress will announce its stand on the issue of Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation.

However, it now looks like the Centre is not likely to come out with an immediate solution on the issue of separate Telangana. 18 days after the Sakala Janula Samme (the "people's general strike") began and crippled the region, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram came out with an oft-repeated statement, that the issue would be "resolved soon".

Addressing a press conference at Shastri Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday, Chidambaram said that 4 political parties, including the Congress, have not yet clarified their stand on a separate Telangana.

"The TDP and MIM are waiting to see what the Congress party's decision will be. The other party, the YSR Congress, has not indicated what is on its mind either," he said.

Chidambaram announced that the Congress party and the UPA government would soon announce their stand on Telangana. However, he claimed, one important stage of consultation on the issue is done with.

He also hinted that an all-party meeting would be called soon to discuss the issue, but only after Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad submits his report.

The Home Minister also appealed to pro-Telangana groups to call of the general strike since it was putting the common man to inconvenience.

Chidambaram insisted that no political party support the indefinite bandh which has been crippling the normal life in the region. He said the bandh would affect the state's economy and consequently increase the burden on the common man.

He said that the agitation has forced the Centre to discuss the issue, and that therefore, it must be called off now. (INN)