Hyderabad, December 29: State Congress chief D Srinivas is hopeful of a `solution’ to the Telangana conundrum in the first week of January. The process of formation of Telangana state has been delayed because of the `Uturn’ taken by many political parties in the State, he reasons.
Talking to newsmen at Gandhi Bhavan, the PCC headquarters, here today, the PCC president said that the Telangana issue was `sensitive’ in nature and had been alive for over 50 years and cannot, therefore, be expected to be resolved in two to three days. “All the three regions have become tense following the Central Government’s two statements on Telangana. All people in the State should be united even though the State is divided. Time will be needed (for the Centre) to take a decision on a crucial issue like this.’’ Referring to the police action on agitating students in various universities in the region, Srinivas urged the police forces to maintain restraint while handling with the agitators. “There is scope for more provocation if the police resort to highhandedness against the agitating students. Besides, there is scope for infiltration of anti-social elements in the students’ agitation,’’ he cautioned.
Asked if he would quit the PCC post as demanded by some Congress leaders, Srinivas said that being the PCC chief he was bound to protect the interests of the Congress party in all the three regions of the State. “Personally, I am pro-Telangana but as the PCC president there is a need to protect the party’s interests all over the State.’’ Earlier, addressing a gathering at the party’s 125th Formation Day celebrations at Gandhi Bhavan, he urged the State Congress functionaries to abide by the constitutional decision taken by the Centre on Telangana.
“Nobody should act against the decision of the party leadership. Instead, all should strive to strengthen Sonia Gandhi’s leadership. It is very sad to see that hostility has taken toot among Telugu people,’’ he said.
–Agencies