Chidambaram says Centre will consult all parties before deciding on Telangana

New Delhi, Dec 30 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday said that the Central Government will hold discussions with all political parties before taking an "appropriate" decision on the issue of a separate Telangana state.

Addressing media after five-member Justice Srikrishna Committee has submitted its report on setting up a separate Telangana state, Chidambaram said: "The government would consider the report carefully and begin the process of consultations with all political parties before taking appropriate decisions on the report."

"I propose to convene a meeting of eight recognised political parties of Andhra Pradesh on January 6, 2011," he said.

"Immediately after the meeting, the Report will be made public," he added.

Chidambaram further said all political parties and groups have given an assurance that they will maintain peace, harmony and law and order.

"We welcome and believe these assurances," he added.alking about deployment of security forces in the State, he said: ""Let me assure the people of Andhra Pradesh that the deployment of security forces is a purely precautionary measure."

"They will remain in the force headquarters or police stations as a reserve force," he added.

The two-volume report, prepared by the Committee, was submitted a day before the Committee's term was to expire.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, presided over an emergency meeting of the Union Cabinet to review the Telangana State issue and security in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the submission of the report.

The seven-point terms of reference announced by the Union Government on February 12 has mandated the Justice Srikrishna Committee to "examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate state of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of united Andhra".

The Government constituted the committee on February 3, nearly two months after it had announced that steps have been initiated for the formation of a separate State of Telangana.

The Telangana region consists 10 northern districts of Andhra Pradesh includingWarangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak and Hyderabad. (ANI)