New Delhi, June 07: Hinting that any solution to the contentious separate Telangana issue would not be forthcoming soon, Union Health Minister and Congress In-Charge for AP Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday expressed confidence that the state government would be able to tackle the impending threat of intensified agitations for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Azad told media persons before leaving for the United States that the separate Telangana issue was ‘very sensitive’ and the situation which prevailed immediately after the December 9, 2009 statement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has not changed.
“My two-day trip to Andhra Pradesh was part of the Centre’s efforts to solve the Telangana issue, and I had met leaders from across the state. They are a divided lot, with leaders from Seemandhra keen in Andhra Pradesh remaining integrated while the leaders from Telangana keen on a separate state,” Mr Azad said.
Mr Azad’s words come at a time when the Congress leaders from Telangana gave hints that their patience was wearing thin over the separate statehood issue by saying that they planned a last trip to New Delhi on June 9 to push for a solution. “This would be our last trip,” a Minister from Telangana had said on Saturday after a meeting of the ruling party’s Legislators.
He added that the Centre has to choose one of the six options given by the Justice BN Srikrishna Committee to solve the issue.
“Efforts are on to find a solution to the Telangana issue. It will take time, but a solution will be found. We are trying to convince the Legislators from Telangana that a solution would be found and they have to observe restraint, instead of threatening to resign,” Mr Azad said.
He also expressed confidence that the state government would be able to handle any situation arising out of the intensified agitations for Telangana.
“There are some problems being faced by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. He will be able to sort them out. There is nothing major to worry about,” the party In-charge for AP Affairs said.
“We have put in a government of young leaders and they would be able to handle the problems efficiently,” Mr Azad added.
——–Agencies