Centre denies dilution of stand on Telangana statehood issue

As the political crisis in Andhra Pradesh deepened with 13 Congress ministers from Telangana sending their resignation to Sonia Gandhi, the Centre today sought to mollify them saying it has "not diluted" its stand on the statehood issue.

As the political crisis in Andhra Pradesh deepened with 13 Congress ministers from Telangana sending their resignation to Sonia Gandhi, the Centre on Sunday sought to mollify them saying it has "not diluted" its stand on the statehood issue.

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Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, in-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh, said "the union government has not
diluted its stand on Telangana."

He said it was only other political parties in Andhra Pradesh which have made a U-turn on the statehood after
promising to support a resolution in the state Assembly favouring bifurcation of the state.

"They had said they will support a resolution in the Assembly at the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister K
Rosaiah on December 7. Now, they have made a U-turn," he told PTI.

"The union government is not a monarchy. We have to set in the democratic process and that is possible only through consultations and the government of India is always willing to be a facilitator," he said apparently in response
to the criticism from Telangana activists that the Centre had put the issue on the backburner in the name of consultations.

Congress MPs from Telangana, who faxed their resignations to party chief Sonia Gandhi yesterday, welcomed
Moily's statement and said the Centre should announce a time-frame for the formation of the state.