The Group of Ministers on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will meet representatives of eight political parties separately next week and seek their views on controversial issues related to creation of Telangana.
This will be followed by meetings with the 11 Union Ministers from the State, three from Telangana and eight from Seemandhra. Those from Seemandhra are opposing the bifurcation and some of them even offered their resignations under public pressure.
“We will meet the political parties of Andhra Pradesh on November 12 and 13 and Union Ministers from the State on November 18,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told journalists here after a meeting of the high-power GoM here on Thursday.
These parties — the Congress, the BJP, the TDP, the TRS, the YSR Congress, the CPI, the CPI(M) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen — will give their views on sharing of river waters, electricity and natural resources, besides division of the administrative machinery and other assets post-bifurcation.
At the previous meeting held in 2009 all these parties, except the CPI, supported Telangana creation. But now the TDP, the YSR Congress and even the BJP have expressed reservations about the formation of a new State or questioned the manner in which the Centre is going ahead on the issue.
Reports from Ministries
Mr. Shinde, who heads the GoM, said the panel would also meet Secretaries of various Central Ministries and departments on November 11 and discuss bifurcation modalities. “We have already received detailed reports from various Ministries and departments [on the issue]…the GoM was going through them. We have so far received more than 18,000 suggestions from individuals and organisations …all mails and letters are being scrutinised,” he said.
The GoM will suggest legal and administrative measures to ensure that both Telangana and the residuary State function efficiently from Hyderabad, which will be a common capital for 10 years. It will also examine the special needs of backward regions and districts and recommend measures, deal with issues of law and order, safety and security of all residents, and ensure all-round peace consequent to the bifurcation.