Maintaining that a decision cannot be delayed any further, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has said the crucial meeting of the Congress core group will discuss the Telangana issue with "both options open"–status quo or creation of a separate state. Singh, who is the general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, however, remained non-committal on whether the party has decided to carve out a separate state of Telangana.
"I cannot say anything on this. This has to be decided by government in consultation with UPA partners. As this may also need amendment to the Constitution, we may have to take Opposition parties also on board," newspapers reported quoting Singh as telling news agency PTI.
Queried about reports that he had promised some 'sweet news' for Telangana people, the senior Congress leader said he had promised only a decision assuring there would be "no ambiguity". Singh's remarks are significant as they come against the backdrop of speculation that the party may be veering round to the creation of a separate state.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior cabinet ministers and leaders form part of the core group to which the state chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana and deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, have been invited. "I have asked the chief minister, the PCC chief and the deputy CM to prepare a roadmap of political strategy leading to the 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections keeping both options open," Singh said.
Singh, who had submitted a report on the Telangana issue to Gandhi, refrained from commenting on the contents and the plus and minus points of creation of Telangana and maintaining status quo on united Andhra.
