The high-level party committee headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony is expected to visit Hyderabad during next week to hold wider consultations before the Cabinet note on Telangana is prepared to take forward the process of formation of a separate state.
The Congress Core Committee which met on Friday, discussed at length the raging agitation the Seemandhra region for the last 45 days. Defence Minister Antony, who was present at the meeting, is learnt to have submitted a preliminary report on the prevailing situation in the Seemandhra region after the CWC announcement.
However the ongoing agitation in the Seemandhra region and the vehement opposition from Union ministers, state ministers, MPs and legislators belonging to the Congress from the region, the Core committee might have decided to go slow. Knowing well the opposition to any Cabinet note, the core committee seems to have refrained from discussing the “note” issue. Also, Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was not present at the meeting this time.
Instead, the all-powerful Core Committee chose to deliberate at length on the raging turmoil in the Seemandhra region and the steps to be taken to assuage the ruffled feelings of the people of the region. Accordingly it was decided to send the Antony Committee to Hyderabad to hold consultations with all sections and if need be incorporate the needed changes in the Telangana note being prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs before it is sent for vetting by the Law Ministry and finally before the Union Cabinet for its approval.
According to sources, the purported changes in the Telangana note would be mainly with regard to the status of Hyderabad which has become one of the most contentious issues. However any changes in this regard being thought to appease the Seemandhra people would only boomerang as it would not be acceptable to the Telangana votaries. Thus the authors of the cabinet note on Telangana might be compelled to do a right rope walking, these sources observed.
