Decision on much-delayed Telangana issue soon: Digvijay

A decision on the sensitive and much-delayed Telangana issue may soon come from the Centre, the Congress indicated on Monday.

All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh, who was last month appointed in-charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, told reporters that the process of taking a decision on the issue is in the final stages.

"So many times deadlines have been given. I would not like to give a deadline. But I can tell you that it is in the final stages," he said, when asked how soon the decision on the long-pending matter will be announced.

Singh said Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, state Congress President Botsa Satyanarayana and deputy chief minister have been asked to prepare a roadmap keeping "both options open" to take a decision on the issue.

"The roadmap is basically what should be the political strategy, what are the administrative actions which have to be taken if decision is taken either way. The party has to be prepared," he said.

He said his predecessors Veerappa Moily and Ghulam Nabi Azad have held wide consultations on the contentious issue.

The decision would be taken in the best interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the country.

Significantly, Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan also said that the Centre is keen on taking a decision on the Telangana issue soon by working out a consensus.

"Delhi is very keen on resolving the issue to the total satisfaction of all people. They are trying to work out a consensus. They are trying to work out an understanding," he said in Rajahmundry.