New Delhi, January 04: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah arrived in the capital Monday, a day ahead of central government’s talks with eight recognised parties from the state on the issue of separate Telangana state.
The chief minister, who met Law Minister M. Veerapa Moily on his arrival, is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later in the day.
He is also expected to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minster A.K. Antony to apprise them of the situation in the state and discuss his government’s stand at the talks.
Moily is in-charge of his Congress party’s affairs in Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao is also in the capital to take part in the talks with the government.
Rao said Sunday he will meet Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad and other political leaders to seek their support for a bill in parliament on a separate statehood to Telangana.
The two other regions of the state — Rayalaseema and Andhra — are bitterly opposed to any division of the state to carve out Telangana state, comprising 10 districts including capital Hyderabad.
Life in Rayalaseema and Andhra ground to a halt Monday as the shutdown called by various groups opposing Telangana evoked total response.
Pro-Telangana factions of political parties and other groups have called for a shutdown Tuesday in Andhra Pradesh.
At a rally at the Osmania University Sunday, activists for the bifurcation of the state decided to block railway tracks and roads Tuesday.
The invitations to eight recognised parties followed a statement by Home Minister P. Chidamabaram Dec 23 that wide-ranging consultations would be held with political parties and groups in view of the sharp differences over the issue.
The Congress, the Telugu Desam Party, the TRS, the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Praja Rajyam Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen are to take part in the talks with the central government.
–IANS–