Firefighting on in Delhi as AP simmers

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the Congress core committee will be meeting here on Tuesday to take stock of the worsensing situation in Andhra Pradesh. With political options quite limited —at the last CCPA meeting allies had criticised the handling of the Telangana issue — the deliberations would essentially devise ways to wriggle out of the mess.

Senior leaders, who have been meeting political leaders from Andhra Pradesh, have been maintaining that nothing would be done in haste. And that the first step would be taken only after the party thrashes out a “consensus” on the issue. This “consensus” will not come by as the state is sharply divided into those who back and oppose a separate state of Telangana.

At the same time, there is considerable worry over the economic price for instability in the state. The state machiney is virtually in paralysis with the leadership engaged in containing fire set off by arsonists in its own ranks.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday assured a delegation of Congress MPs from coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema regions that the government will take a decision on the issue at Tuesday’s meeting. “The prime minister said that he understands that it is a grave situation. He said he is sitting with his colleagues and by tomorrow a decision could be taken to bring things in order," party MP from the state K S Rao told reporters after meeting Mr Singh.

“We met the prime minister and explained to him that the situation in Andhra Pradesh is going out of control day by day. A stage may come when even if the government wants to control the situation, it may not be possible. We explained the situation to the prime minister and requested him to make some announcement to bring solace to the people.”

The delegation comprising over a dozen MPs included Union minister Panabaka Laxmi amongst others. Mr Rao said that after the announcement of the Union home minister on Telangana, there is an apprehension amongst the people of coastal Andhra and Rayalseema that the process for the formation of Telengana has started. He said the agitation against the creation of Telangana was spontaneous and people have undertaken fast unto death.