Chiranjeevi named in Cong's coordination committee for Andhra Pradesh

NEW DELHI: Union minister Chiranjeevi from Seemandhra and Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha who hails from Telangana are members of the Coordination Committee for Andhra Pradesh formed by Congress today when the separate statehood issue has led to protests in parts of the state.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, who is in charge of party affairs in the state, is the convenor of the committee while PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana and Chief Minister Kirankumar Reddy are the other members.

AICC Secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Ramchadera Khuntia is also a member, party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi announced.

The committee has been approved by party chief Sonia Gandhi at a time when the party in the state has been divided on regional lines and the chief minister is also under attack from the supporters of separate Telangana.

At the AICC briefing, party spokesman P C Chacko saw nothing wrong in dropping of Pallam Raju from the GoM going into the issue of state formation.

"Those who resign from the government cannot continue in the GoM," Chacko said.

Asked why there has been no timeframe given for the GoM in the revised terms of reference as against six week earlier, he said that decision on Telangana was "one of the most difficult" decisions.