GoM discusses issues concerning Telangana

NEW DELHI: The GoM on Telangana today held discussion on various issues concerning bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh with Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde declaring that the separate statehood bill will be tabled in the current session of Parliament.

The ministerial panel is believed to have discussed the demands of the Union Ministers from Seemandhra which include making Hyderabad a Union Territory for a limited period and incorporating Bhadrachalam sub-division with residuary Andhra Pradesh.

"Before this session of Parliament is over, we will bring the Telangana Bill to the House," Shinde told reporters after an hour-long meeting of the ministerial panel, which he heads.

The Home Minister, however, did not make any comment when asked whether the UPA government will be able to pass the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill in the Parliament because of disruption caused by Seemandhra MPs in the House. He, however, did not say anything about what transpired in today deliberations. "Our discussions are going on," Shinde said.

Today's meeting of the GoM was held a day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy staged a dharna in Jantar Mantar opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The state Assembly has already rejected the bill for the separate state.

In a last-ditch effort to prevent Hyderabad from being a part of Telangana, Union ministers of Seemandhra region had yesterday urged the ministerial panel to make the city a Union Territory and divide its revenue among Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh.

They had also demanded that the Bhadrachalam sub-division in the state should be incorporated into Seemandhra region as this is the submerged area of Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project, which will be part of residuary Andhra Pradesh.