Telangana decision not taken on time: Rajnath

BJP President Rajnath Singh today accused the UPA government of delaying formation of Telangana and favoured setting up of a new States Reorganisation Commission to look into demands for carving out new states.

'We wish all the youth who sacrificed their lives for a separate Telangana could see its formation. We are obviously saddened. This happened as the decision was not taken on time,' Singh told reporters here.

To a question on demands by several groups for creation of newer states, he said a new States Reorganisation Commission should be set up to give a comprehensive report on the socio-economic situation.

"The Centre should then take a decision after taking all political parties in confidence," he said.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani had yesterday said, "As far as we are concerned, our party is concerned, if Telangana was not formed when we had formed three new states it was only because of our respect to one of our coalition partners. Otherwise we would have done it even then."

He was referring to objections from TDP, which was supporting the NDA government, to the formation of Telangana.