Govt. trying to resolve the Telangana issue in most amicable way, says Pallam Raju

New Delhi, Oct 8 (ANI): Amid the ongoing stir over the creation of a separate state of Telangana, Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju on Saturday said the government is trying to resolve the issue in the most amicable way.

"Right now, we are very apprehensive about all the agitations that are going on. It has taken the state back by several years and people are apprehensive about investing in this kind of environment. So, as a responsible national party and a responsible government we are trying to resolve the issue in the most amicable way," Raju told media persons here.

Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh earlier in the day and is understood to have briefed him about the situation in the agitation-hit region.

Narasimhan, who arrive in New Delhi on Friday evening, met Dr. Singh at his official 7, Race Course Road residence during which the two are believed to have discussed the Telangana statehood demand issue at length.

The meeting assumes significance as the general strike in Telangana region entered the 27th day on Saturday.

Narasimhan earlier met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and briefed him about the developments in the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is also scheduled to meet Dr. Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee over the issue.

Union Health Minister and Congress in-charge for Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad had earlier appealed to the demonstrators agitating for the creation of a separate Telangana state, to end their strike as it is causing massive inconvenience to the common people.

Pro-Telangana activists have stepped up their efforts for the four-decade-old demand of a separate state, which is sought to be carved out of the economically less developed parts of Andhra Pradesh.

The struggle gathered momentum last year after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government had accepted their demand in principle.

Several protests and shutdowns had brought Andhra Pradesh to a near halt in 2009 and 2010, as pro-Telangana activists persisted with their demand. (ANI)