The Srikrishna Committee has recommended that a United Andhra Pradesh with constitutional and statutory measures for empowerment of the Telangana region by creating statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council is the best way forward.

It says that this is the most workable option in the given circumstances and keeping the national perspective in mind this option stands out as the best option. The report of the Committee which was made public today said that creating a separate state of Telangana is the second best option to tackle the statehood demand.

The panel is of the view that while the demad for a separate Telangana has some merit and is not entirely justified, it does not think that it is the most preferred option. The panel argues that separate state is recommended only in case it is unavoidable and this decision can be reached amicably amongst all three regions.

The Committee has suggested six options in its report which was submitted to the Centre last week after wide ranging consultations in Andhra Pradesh since the panel was set up in February last year.

The Committee itself says that four of the six options are either impractical or may invite backlash or may not be acceptable to all the three regions. These four options are maintaining the status quo, bifurcating the state into Seemandhra and Telangana with Hyderabad as Union Territory and the states having their own capitals, Bifurcation into Rayala-Telangana and coastal Andhra regions with Hyderabad as part of Rayala-Telangana and bifurcation into Seemandhra and Telangana with enlarged Hyderabad metropolis as a separate Union Territory.

The Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram, meanwhile has appealed to all political parteis not to draw instant conclusions. He urged them to study the recommendations carefully, impartially with an open mind. He expressed the confidence that a solution to the issue will be found.

In his opening remarks at the meeting of political parties from Andhra Pradesh convened by him in New Delhi today, the Home Minister called upon them to be prepared to pursue or to be pursued by people who hold another point of view.

Regretting that some political parties from the state are not attending the meeting, Mr. Chidambaram said that they are doing scant justice to the valuable work done by Srikrishna Committee. The copies of the report were given to the representatives of the five political parties at the meeting. The copies are also being sent to the parties which did not attend today’s meeting.

The representatives who attended the meeting said that they will consider the report within their respective parties and agreed with the suggestion of Home Minister to meet again later this month. They also appealed for maintaining peace and law and order in Andhra Pradesh.

Eight political parties were invited at today’s meeting but the representatives of the BJP, TRS and the TDP did not attend. The Srikrishna Committee was set up in February last year.