New Delhi, December 23: The Congress high command is still mulling ways to wriggle out of the crisis in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of its announcement in favour of creation of a separate Telangana State.
Though a statement, which would satisfy leaders of all the three regions, was expected on Tuesday, it did not come despite several rounds of discussions.
Sources said in all probability, the Centre may soon issue a statement that it would stick to its Dec 9 commitment to carve out a separate Telangana State but add a rider that it has follow the ‘‘due process.’’ Which means, the State Assembly has to pass a resolution favouring a Telangana State and the Union Cabinet will have to give its nod to the same.
During the day, incharge of State Congress affairs Veerappa Moily and political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi had extensive deliberations with MPs from Coastal and Rayalaseema who have been demanding some sort of a clarification on the Centre’s T statement. Union Home Minister Chidambaram was also present at the meeting.
Sensing that the Centre might dilute its position on Telangana, MPs from the region, some of whom were camping in Hyderabad, sent a fax message that any change in stance could lead to disastrous consequences and took the next available flight to Delhi. Telangana MPs present in Delhi, also conveyed a similar message to Moily and Ahmed Patel.
Late in the night, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee called Coastal and Rayalaseema MPs for a meeting. The Cabinet Committee on political affairs, which was to meet on Tuesday, could not do so as Chidambaram left for Kolkata in the evening.
It is likely to discuss the issue on Wednesday evening.
The Central leaders of the Congress were said to be uncomfortable with the pressure being mounted by Coastal MPs.
‘‘We have acted on the basis of commitment given by all the parties and the CLP resolution passed in the CLP. How fair is it to bring pressure on us now?’’ one of them seems to have questioned the MPs.
–Agencies