Even as the Centre grapples with finding a solution to the vexed issue of Telangana, Congress on Wednesday virtually admitted that there was a division in the Andhra Pradesh unit of the party over it.
"It is very clear that it is a subject on which there was strong opinion in the political parties and they were divided not on political but on regional lines," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters in New Delhi.
Replying to a query about the division within the party on statehood to Telangana, she said, "MPs and leaders have their own point of view which is understandable".
She said when the party takes a decision all abide by it, asserting that "wider consultation was required" on the issue which led to resignations and counter resignations of party leaders, ministers and MPs from coastal Andhra, Rayalseema and Telangana regions of the state.
Asked whether the party stood by the first statement of Home Minister P Chidambaram on Telangana, she said it was based on an all-party meeting convened by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah. "All parties went back and changed their stand.
Therefore it was felt that wider consultation was required," she said. To a query whether the party wanted separate Telangana, Natarajan said this was there in the manifesto but the situation has changed since then as the political parties were divided based on regions. PTI
