JAC to respond after announcement of terms of reference

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), which is spearheading the agitation for a separate Telangana state, said that it would respond to the Centre's initiative in constituting a five-member committee to hold consultations on the statehood issue only after the terms of reference were announced.

“We will react only after the Centre announces the terms of reference and time frame,” JAC convener, C Kodandaram, said adding the Centre should clarify that the committee was for preparing a road map for formation of the new state and not just for opinion-gathering.

A similar view was expressed by Telugu Desam Party legislator, N Janardhan Reddy. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi also said it would wait for the terms of reference before deciding on its future course of action.

On the other hand, the ruling Congress party welcomed the Centre’s move. Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas said the Congress had proved that it would honour its word by constituting the committee.