With the Group of Ministers (GoM) on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh likely to finalise its recommendations on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has assured that the report would address concerns and honour sentiments of all the stakeholders.
“We [the GoM] are trying to find out a solution which does not hurt anyone,” Mr. Shinde, who heads the seven-member panel, told journalists here on Tuesday. Opinions in Andhra Pradesh are strongly divided on the issue as those living in the proposed Telangana State are in favour of the creation of the new State, while residents of Seemandhra have threatened to revive their agitation in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh.
Mr. Shinde rejected reports that the GoM was delaying in finalising the report, particularly after it failed to finalise its recommendations in its last meeting that took place last Thursday.
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“There is no delay ... We will submit the report to the Cabinet soon,” he asserted. The GoM is expected to submit its final report soon so that the Union Cabinet can act on its recommendations and the bill on Telangana can be tabled in the winter session of Parliament that begins on December 5.
Sources in the government said the Congress high command had given clear instructions to the GoM to speed up the consultation process and finalise its report at the earliest so that the entire process of creating Telangana was completed before next year’s general election.