'All parties in Andhra were on board over Telangana decision': Digvijay Singh

In wake of the ongoing protests in Rayalseema and coastal Andhra regions over the nod for creation of a separate Telangana state, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Monday reiterated that all parties had given in writing that they were in tune with the decision.

"All parties in Andhra Pradesh had given us in writing that they were fine with the Telangana decision," said Singh.

"Why don't they (BJP) tell us what process we should have adopted in bifurcating the state (AP)?" he asked, while lashing out at the saffron outfit.

Digvijay Singh had last week categorically stated that his party would not reconsider the decision to support creation of the state of Telangana, and alleged that both the YSR Congress Party and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were on board regarding the decision earlier.

"The Centre took the decision to form Telangana only after getting the consent of all the political parties including Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress. The TDP or YSR Congress Party may change their minds, but the Congress would not," he said.

TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu will go on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi from today to protest against the Central Government's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu, who is extremely upset with the decision to create a separate Telangana state, is expected to begin his fast this afternoon.

"The problems pertain to the people residing in Seemandhra are facing for the past sixty to seventy days and the violence that has been going on. To address those problems and demand from the government, he (TDP chief) is coming and would sit on an indefinite strike from tomorrow," TDS leader Nageswara Rao told yesterday.

Naidu begins his fast two days after the YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy began his indefinite hunger strike in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The situation in curfew-bound Andhra Pradesh's Vijayanagaram district is still tense. Rapid Action and additional Para military forces have been deployed to bring back normalcy.

The normal life in 13 districts of Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra regions has crippled due to power shutdown. It has badly hit all major services like drinking water supply, medical services and railways.

On October 3, the Union Cabinet had decided to go ahead with the process for the creation of a separate Telangana state carved out from Andhra Pradesh.