Succumbing to pressure from Telangana supporters, within the party and outside, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to stay away from the all-party meeting convened by the home ministry in Delhi on Thursday.

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In a letter to Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday, Naidu said the party would not attend the meeting as the Srikrishna committee has already submitted its report and it is now the Centre’s responsibility to take a final decision.

The announcement is seen as a major shift from TDP’s prior stand. Naidu had earlier said Telangana and Andhra are like his two eyes and he would not choose one over the other.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) have already informed Chidambaram that they would not attend the meeting. Chiranjeevi-led Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) has still not announced its decision on attending the meeting. However, till Wednesday the party was in favour of attending the meet and informed the home minister that they are in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh.

CPI, CPI(M), Congress and Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) — have confirmed their attendance at the meeting. CPI is preparing to argue in favour of Telangana. CPI(M) has been opposing the statehood and is expected to communicate the same to the ministry.

Congress has decided to send MP KS Rao and MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy to the meeting. KS Rao would oppose Telangana, Reddy would argue in favour of Telangana.

MIM has been opposing Telangana on the face of it; however, the party is keen on creation of a greater Telangana with Rayalaseema as a part of it in case there is a decision to split the state into two.