By IANS,
New Delhi : Representatives of eight Andhra Pradesh political parties Tuesday began a crucial meeting with Home Minister P. Chidambaram to discuss the controversial issue of statehood to Telangana.
The meeting that is meant to devise a mechanism and lay a roadmap to solve the contentious issue is likely to be stormy with leaders from the state deeply divided along regional lines.
Leaders from the other two regions of the state — Rayalaseema and Andhra — are bitterly opposed to a separate Telangana state, comprising 10 districts including capital Hyderabad. Those from Telangana are equally adamant about the need for a Telangana state.
Representatives of the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Praja Rajyam Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen are taking part in the talks.
TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao who has been spearheading the movement for the separate state is attending the meeting.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who is also to take part in the parleys, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior members of the union cabinet Monday.
Rosaiah also met Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A.K. Antony as well as Chidambaram.