Mixed response in AP to Centre's move on Telangana

Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy, who leads Telangana Congress leaders in their campaign for statehood, hoped the meet will lead to the formation of Telangana state.

"All Congress leaders from Telangana worked with unity and coordination. They worked as per the wishes of people and conveyed everything to the party high command. I believe that a separate state would be a reality after the meeting," he said.

However, his party colleagues from non-Telangana regions felt that a single view cannot be given by the parties as they are divided on regional lines.

"There are divergent views within the parties. How can one view be given?" senior Congress MLA and former Minister J C Diwakar Reddy said.

Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) Chairman M Kodandaram said the Centre's decision would not evoke confidence in the absence of a clear road map for formation of a separate state.

Senior TRS leader and former MP B Vinod Kumar wondered whether the move was just an assurance given to placate Telangana Congress MPs, who had been openly protesting against their party and UPA government, to make them vote in favour of the FDI issue or the Centre was really serious about it.

Senior TDP MLA M Narasimhulu, who hails from Telangana, said the meeting would "expose" the ruling Congress, which has not made known its stance on the statehood issue so far, and also TRS.

The sub-regional party is not sincere in its efforts to secure separate Telangana, he alleged. (More)