Shedding its dithering, the Congress and the UPA tonight unanimoulsy decided to create Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, a momentous decision that came in the face of stiff resistance from leaders from non-Telangana region.
The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body, decided to recommend to the central government to form the 29th state which will comprise 10 districts.
Hyderabad, considered the crowning jewel of the Telangana region, will be the joint capital of the newly-proposed state and the other regions--Rayalaseema and Andhra--for a period of 10 years. A new capital for Andhra will be identified Seemandhra region within this period.
"It is resolved to request the Central government to take steps in accordance with the Constitution to form a separate state of Telangana ......Within a definite timeframe," said a resolution passed at an hour-long meeting of the CWC.
The CWC meet followed a meeting of the UPA which also unanimously favoured formation of Telangana.
The CWC acknowledged that it "has not been an easy decision" but it was taken after the widest possible consultations and taking into account the chequered history of the demand for a separate state.
The decisions by the CWC and the UPA came after hectic consultations for the last over a week on creation of the 29th state of the country that will have a geographical area of 10 of the 23 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
The Union Cabinet will meet tomorrow, apparently to consider formation of a Group of Ministers to go into economic issues on creation of the new state.
The process of creating the new state will take four-five months, said AICC General Secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh.
