Two Andhra Pradesh ministers from Telangana region Monday claimed that they received indications of the central government finally making up its mind to bifurcate the state.
The ministers hoped that the central government would take a decision by month-end to carve out a separate Telangana state. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had said after the Dec 28 all-party meet on Telangana that the government would take a decision within a month.
One of the ministers hinted that Hyderabad could be joint capital of the two states for 10 to 12 years.
Civil Supplies Minister D. Sridhar Babu told reporters Monday that the long-cherished dream of Telangana people would soon become a reality. "We will celebrate the next Sankranti in Telangana state," he said.
On leaders from Seemandhra (Rayalseema and Andhra regions) opposing the demand for Telangana state, he appealed to them to respect the sentiments of the people of Telangana.
On what would be status of Hyderabad, Babu said it would definitely be on the map of Telangana. "Hyderabad is an important of Telangana and it definitely part of Telangana state," he said.
Another minister Danam Nagender, who had never been a strong supporter of Telangana demand, also claimed that division of the state has become inevitable.
Nagender, who hails from Hyderabad, claimed that the city could be a joint capital of the two states for 10 to 12 years. He said the central government was not likely to make Hyderabad a union territory.
Another minister Mukesh Goud, also from Hyderabad, had recently demanded that in case of formation of Telangana, Hyderabad should be given greater autonomy to protect the interests of people from other regions who have settled here.
Pro-Telangana groups have already made it clear that they want Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.
Telangana comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member P. Goverdhan Reddy said the people of Seemandhra themselves would not agree to Hyderabad as a joint capital.
"Hyderabad will be 200 km away for them from any direction. They would like to have their own state capital at the earliest," he said.
The MP said if Telangana state was not created, Congress party would suffer heavily in the region.
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