P Chidambaram today said the January 5 meeting of political parties from Andhra Pradesh is to devise a "mechanism and roadmap" on resolving the problem.
Dismissing the charge of "flip- flop" on the part of Centre on Telangana issue, home minister P Chidambaram today said the January 5 meeting of political parties from Andhra Pradesh is to devise a "mechanism and roadmap" on resolving the problem.
"The January 5 meeting is the first step in the consultations. In the first step we have called the recognised parties in the state to devise a mechanism and a roadmap (on the issue," he told a press conference, the state chief minister has been invited to the meeting in his official capacity.
He said as the consultation process progresses the issue of involving people beyond the 8 recognised parties could be thought of.
Referring to the two statments he had made on Dec 9 and Dec 23 on the issue of separate Telangana, Chidambaram said there has been criticism that there has been a flip-flop on the part of the Central government.
"There was no no flip-flop on the part of the Central government, which simply responded to the situation in Andhra Pradesh. We simply resonded to the wishes of the people of Andhra Pradesh. I hope you don't call the Jan 5 meeitng a
flip-flop," he said.
Recalling the history of the issue, Chidambaram said the National Common Minimum Programme of the UPA in 2004 had said the government would consider the demand for the formation of a Telangana state at an appropriate time after due consultations and consensus.
Major political parties in Andhra Pradesh contested the 2009 Assembly elections on manifestos that, in one manner or other, declared support for the formation of a separate state of Telangana.
He referred to the all party meeting convened by Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah on December 7 in which all floor leaders of the political parties agreed to support the proposal to adopt a resolution in the state Assembly for the creation of Telangana.
The CPI(M) had a different view and the MIM said the appropriate forum for expressing its views would be the Assembly.
The Centre received the minutes of the meeting on December 8 and on 9 the government decided to initiate the process of forming the state of Telangana.
"On December 9, it was announced that an appropriate resolution would be moved in the state assembly. I would like to highlight key words in the statement: they are 'process', 'appropriate resolution' and 'moved'.
"In the background of the minutes of the all party meeting, I would like to ask, "what was wrong with that statement," he asked.
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