New Delhi, Jul 4: As the contentious Telangana issue threatened to snowball into a major controversy, the Centre today said it will try to expedite the consultation process to arrive at a consensus on the matter and counselled patience.
As Congress lawmakers from Telangana stepped up pressure by tendering their resignation, Home Minister P Chidambaram said he did not think that any MLA should take such a step and expressed confidence of persuading them.
Ten Congress MPs and 39 of its MLAs, including 11 ministers, and 34 TDP MLAs from Telangana resigned from Parliament and Andhra Pradesh Assembly pressing for separate statehood for the region.
“I understand their impatience. But these are complex issues. We will try to expedite the consultations. We will try to take a final view. But these are extremely sensitive, complex issues therefore one has to show understanding and patience,” Chidambaram said.
The Home Minister said the Central government will hold an all party meeting only when all parties were ready to give their views on the issue.
“There are at least two parties which are not ready with their views. Once I get an indication that they are ready to give a final view, immediately an all party meeting would be convened,” he said.
Chidambaram said the resignation of MPs and MLAs did not come as a surprise to the government as it had been forewarned about the move.
“The party general secretary incharge is talking to the Telangana MPs and MLAs. We are in touch with them. I do not think we need to get alarmed about these developments. They have given expression to a very strongly held view,” he said.
“I think we will be able to persuade them to be patient and allow the consultative process to continue,” Chidambaram said.
The Minister said the Centre would try to find a solution to the issue by talking to them.
“We will continue to talk to them until a consensus emerges,” he said.
“The central government's view will be made known after the consultation process is over. We have to bring everyone on board. There is a strong view of large number of people. We are yet to take a final decision,” Chidambaram said. PTI
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