AP parties to meet GoM today and tomorrow

Hyderabad,  The representatives of recognised parties from Andhra Pradesh would meet the Group of Ministers (GoM), constituted on the issue of state bifurcation, over next two days.

The ruling Congress will be represented by Deputy Chief Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha, who hails from Telangana region, and state Tourism Minister V Vasant Kumar, who belongs to coastal Andhra.

 A day ahead of the GoM meeting, Congress leaders from Telangana region held a meeting here on Monday and asserted that Telangana state with 10 districts of present Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad as its capital should be formed as announced by the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who would represent his party along with K Keshav Rao in the all-party meeting, held talks with leaders of pro-Telangana groups here on how to present its views.

YSR Congress, which supports united Andhra, would be represented by its leaders M V Mysoora Reddy and Gattu Ramachandra Rao, the party said in a release.

CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu said his party would highlight the problems of backward areas though his party is in favour of united Andhra.

CPI supports separate Telangana and its representatives are state secretary K Narayana and J Wilson.

Reiterating the BJP's support for bifurcation, state BJP president G Kishan Reddy, however, said the concerns of Seemandhra should be addressed. Reddy and senior leader K Haribabu are likely to be the saffron party's representatives in the GoM meeting.

The GoM, which has been set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, would meet eight political parties of Andhra Pradesh separately on November 12 and 13 as well as union ministers from Andhra Pradesh on November 18, to discuss various issues related to the issue.