The Congress Wednesday set up a four-member committee headed by Defence Minister A K Antony to hear the concerns of its union ministers,MPs and leaders from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions who are opposed to creation of Telangana state. The move was an attempt to quell the anger among its leaders in the Seemandhra regions who have reluctantly accepted the bifurcation,but are demanding that Hyderabad be made the permanent common capital of both the states. The party,however,made it clear that the formation of the panel comprising general secretary in charge of Andhra Digivjaya Singh,Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel and Union minister Veerappa Moily besides Antony does not mean putting the decision to create Telangana on hold. The panel is also expected to hear the views of other stakeholders like NGOs and employees from Seemandhra who are agitating against the bifurcation. There is no question of going back. There are many other things to be decided. This committee is to implement the decision and not to put the decision on hold, party spokesperson P C Chacko said. The panel was set up after union ministers and MPs from the Seemandhra regions raised a banner of revolt against the partys decision and conveyed to the party high command the anger in the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions. A Congress statement said the committees mandate was to hear the concerns being expressed arising out of the decision to form a new state of Telangana. Singh said the strong reaction from the Seemandhra region after announcement of formation of Telangana was natural. He said the committee will look into all the issues raised by them.
