Centre reviews law&order situation in AP

The Centre on Thursday took stock of the law-and-order situation in Andhra Pradesh and directed the state government to take all possible steps to maintain peace amid speculation that an announcement on the demand for Telangana will be made by the month-end.

Union Home Secretary R K Singh reviewed the security situation in the state with Chief Secretary Minnie Mathew, DGP Dinesh Reddy and Intelligence wing chief Mahendra Reddy in New Delhi.

They discussed how to handle the repercussions if any announcement, either way, is made and possible implications -- both short term as well as long term, official sources said.

The Home Ministry has promised to send additional forces if needed to handle any situation arising out of any announcement by the Centre. After an all-party meeting on December 28, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had said that the government would make an announcement on Telangana within a month. The eight parties which attended the meeting are the Congress, BJP, Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, YSR Congress Party, CPI, CPI-M and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.

The Congress is likely to discuss the issue at its Chintan Baithak beginning in Jaipur tomorrow.