Centre must address issues before bifurcation, says AP CM

Treading a cautious path on the Telangana issue, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said here today that the Centre should address the complicated issues concerned with the bifurcation of the state first before it embarks on the process.
Breaking his silence on the Congress' decision to form a separate Telangana state, he gave out statistics and highlighted complicated issues related to water and power sharing as well as the status of Hyderabad, which would arise during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
"I am not suggesting anything. I am only suggesting that all these issues connected to the people have to be addressed before we go ahead with whatever decision we want to take".

"These are issues connected to the people. Without addressing these issues, we must not create bigger problems than the existing problems in the anxiety to create a state. We have to address these issues," he told reporters here.
"My request to the Centre or the committee, which would look into this, is that all these issues have to be addressed," he said.
Yesterday, Congress set up a four-member committee headed by Defence Minister A K Antony to address concerns arising out of the decision to create a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh.
Asked if he wanted the Congress Working Committee to withdraw its decision, he said there is a need for clarity about all the issues.

However, replying to a query, he also said he represented "both the regions" and that these issues concerned all people in the state.