Congress in-charge of state affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday reiterated that there was no exact time frame to resolve the the Telangana statehood issue.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Azad said that the government was making efforts to resolve the Telangana issue. "I would like to reiterate that we are for an early resolution of this issue," he said.
Azad expressed confidence that the Centre would find a solution to controversial and sensitive statehood issue soon. “The Congress party will stand by its promise and solve the problem. However, it is difficult to give the exact time limit as the consultation process is still on,” he pointed out.
Responding to a question, Azad said the party has not discussed elaborately on Telangana issue in the Core committee meeting held on Friday. "We discussed several organisational issues," he said.
Azad said that the party would convene a meeting with the UPA allies to elicit their views on the issue. (INN)
2011/10/23 3:14:08 Congress in-charge of state affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday appealed to striking employees from the Telangana region to immediately call off their strike in the wake of upcoming festivals - Deepawali and Bakrid.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of discussions with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana, Azad said that the Centre would take a decision on Telangana once the consultations process with all stake holders is over. He appealed to striking employees to withdraw their agitation as the 40 days stir has caused lot of inconvenience apart from causing huge losses to State's exchequer.
Due to the general strike, he said that the development of state has been affected in all the sectors. “I am making this appeal to striking employees on behalf of Centre and Congress party to withdraw their strike immediately, especially in view of upcoming festivals, people’s inconvenience and development of the State,” he stated. He also advised the agitating staff to settle their salary issue for strike period with the state government. The agitating employees should not obstruct the progress of the State and the implementation of government schemes, he said.
Stating that the consultations with all three regions in the state have been completed, Azad said that the dialogue with national level parties is yet to begin. He said that the Centre and Congress high command were committed to resolve the Telangana issue on priority basis by taking into consideration the interests and sentiments of people in all the regions.
The Telangana people and leaders should understand the Centre’s efforts and help it to resolve the issue, he stated. However, he said there was no exact time frame to resolve the sensitive statehood issue. (INN)
Azad, Sibal seeks Telangana MPs cooperation during Parl session
2012/4/23 9:35:11 New Delhi, April 23 (INN): Union Health Minister and Congress In-Charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday appealed to Telangana MPs to cooperate with the Speaker in running the House peacefully.
Ghulam Nabi Azad made the appeal to Telangana leaders in view of resumption of second phase of Budget Session of Parliament scheduled to begin from Tuesday.
Talking to media persons, Azad reiterated that the Telangana issue was sensitive and the Centre would need some more time to resolve it. Stating that the Congress party has completed discussions with its allies in the UPA, he said that the other parties and stakeholders have to make their stand clear on the Telangana demand. He said that the Centre would send invitation to all other parties in the State to elicit their opinion on the issue.
Meanwhile, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal also made a similar appeal to Telangana leaders seeking their cooperation in running the Parliament smoothly. Stating that consultations were on the Telangana statehood demand with all the stakeholders, he said that the Centre was yet to come to a conclusion on the issue.
2011/9/28 8:45:45 Incharge of Andhra Pradesh Congress affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday made it clear that no clear-cut deadline could be set to resolve the Telangana issue.
Talking to reporters after he had a meeting with the State Congress leaders in the national capital, Azad informed that he had prepared a report on Telangana after having consultations with the Telangana and Seemandhra leaders. However, he would submit the report to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the next two days.
"We are conscious of what is happening in Telangana, particularly the inconvenience being caused to the general public due to employees' strike, closure of colleges and schools. We know the gravity of the situation and we would like to have an early resolution," Azad said. He also added that wider consultation would be needed to formulate a solution to the Telangana issue.
Azad also expressed regret over the statement made by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on December 9, 2009 announcing the formation of Telangana State. He said the statement was made without studying the depth of matter and that became the root cause of problems which have emerged now. However, this time the Centre would come out with a permanent solution on the Telangana statehood issue and that would be acceptable to all sections, he said.
Azad clarified that the consultation process with the Congress leaders on the statehood for Telangana region has completed. He said that the report that he has prepared, based on those consultations and other inputs that he got from the region, might be kept in public domain for suggestions and discussion. (INN)
2011/9/26 8:02:08 Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is likely to visit the national capital on Wednesday to discuss the Telangana issue with the Congress High Command.
According to sources, in-charge of APCC affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday evening rang up the Chief Minister to enquire about the latest situation that has arisen due to the employees' general strike in the State. Both the leaders are learnt to have discussed the impact and possible solutions. However, Azad has reportedly asked the Chief Minister to come to New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana too received a call from Azad and he too is believed to have been summoned to New Delhi. Sources say that the Congress High Command has worked out a strategy to resolve the Telangana crisis and both the leaders were being called to New Delhi to discuss and finalise the same. (INN)
2011/11/14 15:19:34 Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday stated that the government has not taken any decision on formation of second States Reorganization Commission over the demand for formation of smaller states in the country.
Talking to media persons, Azad, who is also the in-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh, stated that the government would take a decision on second SRC only after the completion of consultation process with the allies of United Progressive Alliance Government. He also said the date for consultation process with UPA allies was yet to be finalized. “Once the date is finalised, the consultation process will begin and consensus on the issue will emerge,” Azad told.
Azad said that the Congress was committed to take an early decision on Telangana statehood issue and put an end to uncertainty in the state. (INN)
2011/10/9 5:32:49 Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Sunday appealed to Telangana leaders to withdraw the general strike as the Centre was making all efforts to resolve the Telangana issue through consultation process.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of meeting convened with Congress In-charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad, Botsa said that it was not good for Telangana leaders to continue the strike at the time when Central leadership was making continuous efforts to resolve the statehood issue. Admitting that employees strike has been causing lot of inconvenience to general public besides causing huge loss to State's exchequer, he appealed to employees to reconsider their decision on continuing general strike.
Stating that Telangana issue was sensitive and therefore, needs some more time, he expressed confidence that the Congress leadership would find an early solution to the issue.
The Transport Minister however, feigned ignorance about the State Government's proposal to privatise the RTC due to its bad financial position which deteriorated due to the strike. He said no such proposal has come to his notice, so far. “I will react on this issue after completely knowing about it,” he said. (INN)
2011/10/19 23:20:00 Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh while returning from his 3 days South Africa tour, talked about Telangana issue in detail on board with media people who accompanied him in his tour.
He said Telangana is not a new issue. The demand is there since 1950s. It needs some more time to resolve this problem as it need consensus among all the people and parties. He condemned the allegations made by some Telangana leaders, who states Government is not sincerely working on this issue. Dr. Manmohan said, everyone knows how his Government is trying to resolve burning issue. He hopes soon they could find a solution for this problem.
While, Congress leaders like Jana Reddy, Kesav Rao, Botsa, Lagadapati and many others are telling the people that the Center has come to a conclusion on Telangana issue and it is ready to announce its decision before end of this month, then why the Prime Minister make such statement on the issue? Did he indicates that the Center is going to announce only a 'Time Frame' to resolve the Telangana issue and not takes any immediate step on Telangana issue? If so, how the pro-Telangana leaders react and how Seemandhra leaders receive it? Let us wait for few more days to know it.
2012/1/22 13:34:22 Congress in-charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday assured a delegation of Telangana Congress leaders that their candidature would be considered in the next expansion of State cabinet and during filling of nominated posts.
A delegation of Telangana Congress leaders met Ghulam Nabi Azad and complained of injustices done to Telangana leaders the recent Cabinet expansion. MLC Rudraraju Padmaraju expressed dissatisfaction over seniors being ignored in the Cabinet expansion. He demanded Azad to direct the Chief Minister to take steps for filling of nominated posts with party seniors immediately. “All party seniors should be awarded with party posts irrespective of regions and their services should be utilised for strengthening the party,” he demanded.
The 20-member delegation also appealed to Azad to take a decision on the Telangana state issue soon. The delegation informed Azad that the party leaders from the region were not in a position to visit their constituencies if the Centre delays the statehood issue further. They said the Centre should resolve the tangle before the Assembly elections to five states. ”We don’t want any financial packages for the region. All problems can be solved only through formation of Telangana," the delegation said.
MLA K Lakshma Reddy appealed to Azad to allot sufficient funds for the development of Telangana region to complete pending irrigation projects.
Azad assured the delegation that he would convey their demands to high command.
The delegation comprised of MLAs Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, Nandishwar goud, Kavitha, Kishta reddy, Arepalli Mohan, K Sridhar, Cheruku Muthyam reddy, Prasad kumar, Abraham and MLCs Indrasena Reddy, Bhupal reddy, Rajalingam, Rayapati srinivas, Mohan reddy and Rangareddy.
Earlier, Azad also called upon Governor E S L Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan and later met PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana at Gandhi Bhavan. (INN)
2011/7/19 10:45:34 Condemning the Congress In-Charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad statement of misinterpreting his remarks on Telangana statehood made in Beijing China, Telangana Rashtra Samiti Floor Leader Etela Rajender on Tuesday stated that Azad made this remarks due to lack of understanding on the statehood issue.
Talking to media persons at Secunderabad, he said that Ghulam Nabi Azad should clarify his stand on Telangana and said that Congress would bite dust if he fails to do so.
He said the Azad’s provocative statements would disturb and hurt the sentiments of Telangana people.(INN)
2012/1/23 14:28:48 Former minister T Jeevan Reddy on Monday stated that the Congress Coordination Committee, which was appointed to reduce gap between the party and government, should make efforts to resolve the Telangana issue.
Talking to media persons at Public Gardens, Jeevan Reddy said that the Coordination Committee should initiate the dialogue on the possible solution for Telangana issue on top priority basis. Further, the committee should pressurise Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to begin the consultation process with all party leaders after the assembly elections in five states.
Jeevan Reddy said that Telugu Desam Party's and YSR Congress party have made their party's stand clear and asked the Centre to resolve the issue. He said the Congress party would survive in the Telangana if it takes a favourable decision on the statehood issue before 2014. Otherwise, he said, the Congress party would be completely wiped out from the Telangana region. (INN)
2011/11/8 6:34:38 Congress in-charge of state affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday stated that the government would announce a decision on formation of separate Telangana after November 10.
Talking to media, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the government would make an announcement over the controversial Telangana statehood after November 10, the Guru Purnima Day. He made this statement after having a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi for nearly half-an-hour.
Azad's statement assumes importance in the wake of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's recent statement that the Telangana issue would resolved after Bakrid festival. Azad reportedly told the media that the decision on Telangana statehood was delayed due to its sensitiveness. According to sources, Azad briefed Sonia Gandhi over the situation in Telangana after the withdrawal of general strike of employees. He also briefed Sonia Gandhi over the hunger fast launched by former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and resignation of three MLAs from party who later joined TRS.
Azad, according to sources, stressed the importance of resolving the Telangana issue on top priority and put an end to uncertainty in the state. The decision on Telangana is likely to be taken in the Congress Core Committee meeting scheduled on November 11, the sources said.
Earlier, Azad met Congress MP Sarvey Satyanarayana and discussed the strategy to be adopted over the Telangana issue. (INN)
Telangana Congress leaders differ on heading to New Delhi
2011/7/18 4:32:51 Following the Congress In-Charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad call to Telangana leaders, the 20-member Steering Committee of Telangana Congress leaders on Monday convened an emergency meeting at MP Jagannadham’s residence to discuss on the statehood issue.
The steering committee met under convenors K Kesava Rao and K Jana Reddy discussed threadbare over Ghulam Nabi Azad’s call to New Delhi to begin the consultation process.
The Telangana Congress leaders opined that they would consider heading for New Delhi if Azad withdraw his comments made in China.
It may be recalled that Azad said that unanimous resolution of Assembly was mandatory for the formation of Telangana state. Azad said the formation of Telangana and its related issue cannot move an “inch” without the State Assembly passing a unanimous resolution.
“There is no necessity to go for New Delhi for discussions on Telangana,” a few leaders said.
However, a few of steering committee members opined that they would meet other Core committee members except Azad to discuss on Telangana issue.
They said they are ready to meet Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Core committee member and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
With Telangana Congress leaders not responding to Azad’s call, the Congress high command is in a shock and thinking on other options.
With Seemandhra leaders in New Delhi holding discussions, the high command wants to convene a meeting with Telangana Congress leaders to find a solution to the controversial statehood issue.(INN)
2011/10/1 6:05:13 In-charge of AP Congress affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday clarified the finding a solution for Telangana statehood issue is a long process.
"It is not an easy decision to be taken and it cannot be resolved in one day," Azad told reporters after having a meeting on the issue with senior Congress leaders including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony and Ahmed Patel. The meeting was held at Pranab Mukherjee's residence and Home Minister P Chidambaram who was in Chennai has reportedly joined the meeting through a conference call.
Azad clarified that the Congress party or the UPA Government is yet to take a decision on the Telangana issue. He refuted the reports aired on news channels on Friday night related to the report submitted by him to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He said that he held detailed consultation with the Congress MLAs, MLCs, MPs, ministers and former elected representatives belonging to Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions. "The consultation process continued for two months in August and September. Now after hearing everybody, we will have to hear other people also," he said.
"Before taking a resolution, whatever it may be, we need to take everyone on board. We need to have more discussion with some senior leaders at the national leaders and may be some leaders from the State also," Azad said. He further stated that one process is done and the other process of having consultation at the national level has started.
Azad did not take any questions from the media which were related to the deadline set for the completion of consultation process. He also did not answer whether Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao was consulted on the issue. (INN)
Do not be hasty, issue cannot be solved in one day: Azad to T Legislators
2011/7/1 10:23:18 In-charge of Congress Affairs in the state Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday on advised Telangana Congress leaders not to take any hasty decision on Telangana as the issue was linked to other states.
Talking to media persons after meeting Ministers and MLAs at the party’s newest and perhaps the most glittering acquisition K Chiranjeevi’s residence, Mr Azad reiterated that Telangana issue was sensitive and cannot be solved in a single day.
Advising the Telangana Congress leaders not take any drastic decisions, he asked them to maintain restraint and patience over the issue.
“The decision on Telangana needs unanimity, not only on the state level but also on the national level as it is linked to other states also,” Mr Azad stated.
“The problem cannot be solved through resignations. We can find solution to this problem only through dialogue,” the Union Health Minister stated and added the Centre would invite all-parties for convention in New Delhi soon to find a solution to Telangana.
The High Command’s representative also took pains to point out that the Centre would take into account the aspirations of the people of the region and their sentiments before taking any decision on the separate statehood issue.
He said the Congress party has been strengthened in the state with the merger of Praja Rajyam Party and appointment of PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana.
Reacting on the role of Mr Chiranjeevi, Mr Azad he said that the Prime Minister and the High Command would take a decision on it.
Meanwhile, Seemandhra Forum convenor S Sailajanath submitted a memorandum to Mr Azad, pointing out the advantages of maintaining status quo in the state.
Mr Sailajanath’s memorandum also opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.(INN)
Despite Azad’s statement, will go ahead with last Delhi trip: KK
2011/6/6 9:34:40 Congress leader from Telangana K Kesava Rao on Monday brushed aside the hints given by Union Health Minister and Congress In-Charge for AP Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad that any solution to the contentious separate Telangana issue would not be forthcoming soon, by saying that the proposed ‘last trip to New Delhi’ on June 9 and 10 would go ahead as scheduled.
Mr Kesava Rao told media persons at his residence that the Congress leaders from Telangana would indeed stick to the deadline of June 20 given by them on Saturday and adopt an agitational approach from July, if the Centre does not take a concrete announcement on the separate statehood demand.
The senior Congress leader was reacting to the remarks of Mr Azad in New Delhi where he said that the separate Telangana issue was ‘very sensitive’ and the situation which prevailed immediately after the December 9, 2009 statement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has not changed.
Mr Azad had hinted that the Centre would need more time to choose the best possible of the six options given by the Justice Srikrishna Committee in its Report.
Mr Kesava Rao also sought to allay any apprehensions which might arise from Mr Azad’s statement by saying that the comments are not indicative that the Centre was trying to delay a decision.
“Mr Azad did not say that the Centre would delay its decision, he said that the issue is sensitive. Do not read between the lines please,” the Rajya Sabha Member stated.
Reacting to questions that the next PCC president might be from Telangana, Mr Kesava Rao said that the origins would not matter. “The next PCC president’s dedication towards the fight for Telangana is more important,” he said.
2011/9/29 7:36:42 Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Thursday claimed that the Congress High Command would resolve the Telangana issue within one month.
Talking to reporters after meeting in-charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here, Botsa said that the Centre was aware of the facts relating to the on-going general strike. He said that the Congress party would be holding discussions with all the UPA constituents on the issue to find an amicable solution.
Botsa said the Congress was also ready to hold talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party, if necessary, to ensure that the separate statehood issue is resolved at the earliest. He said since the issue is contentious, a national-level discussion was inevitable. However, he said the entire process would be completed and a solution would be announced within a month.
The PCC president appealed that the general strike be called off keeping in view the inconvenience being caused to the general public. (INN)
2011/10/2 6:23:37 Congress in-charge of state affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday stated that the high command would find a early solution to creation of Telangana.
Talking to media persons at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad before proceeding to Vijayawada to participate in Satyagraha of Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, Azad said that the high command needs some more time to start consultations with national level leaders on the sensitive statehood issue to emerge consensus. He said the consultation process with Seemandhra and Telangana leaders have been completed so far.
Azad appealed to employees participating in the general strike, which entered 20th day on Sunday, to stop agitation and resume to their duties as it was causing lot of inconvenience to people besides causing huge loss to state exchequer.
Responding to a question, he said that the Telangana issue should not be linked with Jammu and Kashmir problem. (INN)
2011/6/6 3:41:01 Hinting that any solution to the contentious separate Telangana issue would not be forthcoming soon, Union Health Minister and Congress In-Charge for AP Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday expressed confidence that the state government would be able to tackle the impending threat of intensified agitations for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Azad told media persons before leaving for the United States that the separate Telangana issue was ‘very sensitive’ and the situation which prevailed immediately after the December 9, 2009 statement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has not changed.
“My two-day trip to Andhra Pradesh was part of the Centre’s efforts to solve the Telangana issue, and I had met leaders from across the state. They are a divided lot, with leaders from Seemandhra keen in Andhra Pradesh remaining integrated while the leaders from Telangana keen on a separate state,” Mr Azad said.
Mr Azad’s words come at a time when the Congress leaders from Telangana gave hints that their patience was wearing thin over the separate statehood issue by saying that they planned a last trip to New Delhi on June 9 to push for a solution. “This would be our last trip,” a Minister from Telangana had said on Saturday after a meeting of the ruling party’s Legislators.
He added that the Centre has to choose one of the six options given by the Justice BN Srikrishna Committee to solve the issue.
“Efforts are on to find a solution to the Telangana issue. It will take time, but a solution will be found. We are trying to convince the Legislators from Telangana that a solution would be found and they have to observe restraint, instead of threatening to resign,” Mr Azad said.
He also expressed confidence that the state government would be able to handle any situation arising out of the intensified agitations for Telangana.
“There are some problems being faced by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. He will be able to sort them out. There is nothing major to worry about,” the party In-charge for AP Affairs said.
“We have put in a government of young leaders and they would be able to handle the problems efficiently,” Mr Azad added.
2011/11/18 16:18:00 Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has agreed to consider the request of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to postpone the implementation of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) by two years.
The Chief Minister spoke to Azad on Friday over phone on the issue of NEET and the difficulties which the students of Andhra Pradesh would face on account of its implementation from the next year. He requested the Union Minister to postpone the implementation of NEET by two years so that the required amendments to certain Educational Acts and revision of curriculae and text books are carried out.
According to the CMO, Azad has assured that the Centre would consider the Chief Minister's request. (INN)
2011/10/8 5:43:27 In-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday ruled out the possibility of imposition of President’s Rule in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of volatile situation prevailing in the State.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of mini-Core Committee meeting, Azad said that there was no possibility of imposing President’s rule in the state. He denied the rumours that appeared in a section of media that the Centre has summoned Governor ESL Narasimhan to discuss the likely President’s Rule in the state.
Azad also denied reports that the High Command would announce its decision on Telangana in the next two-three days. He said that the consultations process was on to find an amicable solution over the statehood issue.
Azad said that he had consultations with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and other leaders from the State as part of efforts to find a solution to the issue. He said that the Congress High Command was making all efforts to an early solution. (INN)
Congress in-charge of state affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday reiterated that there was no exact time frame to resolve the the Telangana statehood issue.
Congress in-charge of state affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday appealed to striking employees from the Telangana region to immediately call off their strike in the wake of upcoming festivals - Deepawali and Bakrid.
Incharge of Andhra Pradesh Congress affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday made it clear that no clear-cut deadline could be set to resolve the Telangana issue.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is likely to visit the national capital on Wednesday to discuss the Telangana issue with the Congress High Command.
Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday stated that the government has not taken any decision on formation of second States Reorganization Commission over the demand for formation of smaller states in the country.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Sunday appealed to Telangana leaders to withdraw the general strike as the Centre was making all efforts to resolve the Telangana issue through consultation process.
Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh while returning from his 3 days South Africa tour, talked about Telangana issue in detail on board with media people who accompanied him in his tour. 
Congress in-charge of State Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday assured a delegation of Telangana Congress leaders that their candidature would be considered in the next expansion of State cabinet and during filling of nominated posts.
Former minister T Jeevan Reddy on Monday stated that the Congress Coordination Committee, which was appointed to reduce gap between the party and government, should make efforts to resolve the Telangana issue.
