UPA panel to discuss Telangana July 31

The Congress will discuss July 31 the vexed issue of carving out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh with its allies in the United Progressive Alliance, informed sources said Sunday.

The all-powerful Congress Working Committee may also meet the same day to discuss the issue, said the sources.

The Congress, which has completed the process of consultations on the issue, will now try to take the allies on board before it takes a final call, said the sources.

But that will not be easy, as the party is divided on the issue, they said.

While the central leadership appeared to be open to the idea of a separate Telangana state, Congress MPs from other parts of Andhra Pradesh were opposed to division, said the sources.

Four anti-Telangana MPs, including union ministers M.M. Pallam Raju, K.S. Rao, Chiranjeevi and D. Purandeshwari (all belonging to coastal Andhra) Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to push for a united Andhra Pradesh.

The leaders told the prime minister that there would be repercussions not only for the state but also for the entire country if Andhra Pradesh was divided.