The Srikrishna Report on Telangana Statehood was presented to political parties from Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. The Commission has listed six options to handle the three parts of the State: Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema.
Best option
While expressing its opinion that the first three options may not be practical, the Commission found the last option of keeping “the State united and providing constitutional/ statutory measures to address the core socio-economic concerns about the development of the Telangana region,” most workable in the “given circumstances and in the best interest of the social and economic welfare of the people of all the three regions.”
The report said, “This can be done through the establishment of a statutory and empowered Telangana Regional Council with adequate transfer of funds, functions and functionaries.”
As the second best option, the Committee cited its fifth solution of bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Seemandhra according to its existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital.
At the meeting of political parties here to discuss the report, the Union Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, said in his opening remarks, “I would urge you to read the report and the recommendations with an open mind and be prepared to persuade, and to be persuaded by people who hold another point of view.”
Deep regret
He also expressed his “deep regret” that some parties had chosen to stay away from the meeting. “It does scant justice to the valuable work done by the Justice Srikrishna Committee and the report submitted by the committee,” he said.
Among the eight political parties invited, only five attended the meeting — the Congress, the CPI (M), the CPI, the Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Praja Rajyam Party. The three that stayed away included the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the Telugu Desam Party and the BJP.