Digvijaya submits report on Telangana to Sonia

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh has submitted his report on Telangana issue to party president Sonia Gandhi.

He told reporters in the national capital that while he has given his report, a final decision would be taken after the chief minister, deputy chief minister and the state party chief submit their roadmaps to the leadership.

Digvijaya Singh, who is incharge of party affairs in the state, said a decision on the contentious issue depend on when the three leaders make their presentation before the leadership.

He said a meeting of Congress core vommittee would be held at a time convenient to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gandhi. "The core vommittee will then take an early decision," he said but

declined to give any deadline.

During his visit to the state last week, the central leader had heard the view of leaders of all three regions - Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Guntur Rayapati Sambasaiva Rao said he conveyed to Digvijaya Singh the need to keep the state united. He told reporters in Guntur that if a decision is taken to divide the state, he would decide whether to remain in the party or quit.

State Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy said they had urged the central government to keep the state united.

Another minister S. Sailajanath said Dec 23, 2009 statement of the central government on the issue and not Dec 9, 2009 statement should be treated as final. The minister, who is convenor of Samaikya Andhra public representative forum, said Dec 9 statement was past.

Sailajanath said in Anantapur that the central government was only holding consultations over the issue and that there was no proposal to divide the state.

Then union home minister P. Chidambaram on Dec 9, 2009 had announced that a process for formation of Telangana state would be initiated. However, following mass resignations by public representatives in Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, he made another statement on Dec 23 that there is need to have more consultations on the issue.