Govt trying to arrive at consensus on Telangana: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government was trying to arrive at a consensus on the "complicated" Telangana statehood issue through consultations with political parties, which should be allowed to be pursued to its "logical conclusion".

Singh said Home Minister P Chidambaram will hold the second round of consultations with political parties in Andhra Pradesh on the report of the Justice Srikrishna Committee, which has dealt with the contentious statehood demand.

"I think this is a complicated issue and we are trying to evolve a consensus. The Home Minister had one round of meeting with all the political parties. He will call these political parties again because the first round was just for handing them over the Srikrishna Committee report," he told television editors during an interaction here.

Chidambaram had on January six held a meeting with political parties from the state and handed over to them a copy of the Srikrishna Committee report, which has favoured a united Andhra Pradesh with constitutional and statutory powers to the Telangana region.

"Now the (political parties) are studying it and after that will come the phase of consultations with all political parties who are active in Andhra Pradesh. That process must be allowed to be pursued to its logical conclusion," he said.

When asked what would be the government's stand if a consensus is not arrived at, the Prime Minister said, "I can't answer that hypothetical question. We will cross the bridge when we reach there."