In the backdrop of TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao’s indefinite fast for separate Telangana and the BJP’s rush of support, the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh today favoured reviving a committee of legislators, which was constituted earlier this year, to address the vexed issue.
“That committee was constituted to remove apprehensions about the formation of separate Telangana. I feel we are not making use of it. All parties should join the committee. I think it is a wonderful opportunity to sort out the issue,” state Congress president D Srinivas told reporters today.
The committee of MLAs was constituted just ahead of the general elections this year with K Rosaiah, who was the Finance Minister then, as its head but it has remained a non-starter as all opposition parties stayed away from it.
Rosaiah has said yesterday in New Delhi that the committee needs to be reconstituted as he, who was supposed to head that, has become the Chief Minister now.
The reconstituted committee should be acceptable to pro-Telangana parties and outfits as the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy announced on the floor of the Assembly that the state government has no objection to the formation of separate Telangana.
Srinivas said all parties should join the reconstituted panel and it can submit its report to the Centre in five or six months.
“If the Centre is still not convinced about separate Telangana, then even senior Congress leaders would raise their voice against it,” he said.
“The government has decided to constitute a committee of members of both the Houses to deliberate on the issue. Further steps could be taken after the report of the Joint Committee of members from both the houses is submitted to the government,” Chief Minister Y S Rajsekhara Reddy had said in a statement on the floor of the House on February 12.
The state government has no objection in principle to the formation of Telengana and feels that the time has come to move forward decisively on the issue, Reddy had said.
Srinivas also wished a speedy recovery by TRS president who has been admitted to the state-run Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here today.
Asserting that he fully sympathised with the Telangana cause, he appealed to the students to organise their agitation for separate state peacefully.
Asked if the Congress has reached any understanding with Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) for election to the office of Hyderabad Mayor, Srinivas said it would be known tomorrow.
Congress needs the support of another party to get its nominees elected for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
