Congress leader and Union Human Resource Development Minister M.Pallam Raju on Tuesday termed the possibility of a separate Telangana state as a matter of 'worry', and added that it would have a long-term impact on Andhra Pradesh. He also said that he had expressed these views to party general secretary Digvijay Singh, who looks after Congress matters in Andhra Pradesh.
"I think the core committee has discussed the matter at length and we are all worried about it that whatever decision that they may make is going to have a long-term implication in Andhra Pradesh. We are worried about it and that's exactly what we've come to express to the general secretary" Raju said here today.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest policy making body, is likely to take a decision on the formation of a separate state of Telangana today.
According to television reports, the UPA Coordination Committee will first meet at around 4 p.m. This will be followed by a meeting of the CWC at 5.30 p.m.
These meetings come a time when the Congress high command is said to be inclined towards bifurcating Andhra Pradesh notwithstanding the opposition from within the party and its state leadership.
Meanwhile, additional forces, including CRPF, Rapid Action Forces and State Special Police, have been rushed to Andhra Pradesh, to deal with any situation which may arise in the wake of fresh developments over the statehood demand for Telangana.
According to certain media reports, Hyderabad is likely to be a Union Territory for five years and will act as joint capital of the two states to be created out of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
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The Union Territory will be administered by a Lieutenant Governor. The Governor of Telangana state will be the ex-officio Lieutenant Governor of Hyderabad in these five years.
Media reports further state that a proposal to this effect is going to be put up to the Union Cabinet before August 5.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has so far reiterated his stance for maintaining a united Andhra Pradesh at any cost.
Several ministers and MPs from Andhra Pradesh have been camping in Delhi over the last 2-3 days to discuss the issue with the top leadership.
