The much-awaited meeting of eight political parties of Andhra Pradesh could not be held so far due to his various engagements in last one month, including a visit to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting and the Republic Day, he said.
“I intend to consult my senior colleagues and fix a date. We will fix a date in the next few days,” he said at a press conference in New Delhi.
Mr. Chidambaram said the meeting would give him an opportunity to hear the final views of the political parties after making available to them the full report of the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee on the Telangana issue.
“It is necessary. When I said I will call the next meeting, they (the political parties who attended the January six meeting) said yes, please call another meeting. Next meeting is necessary for them to give me their final views,” he said.
Asked whether all eight parties would attend the meeting as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Telugu Desam Party did not attend the January 6 meeting, the Home Minister said “I will invite all eight parties. I think you should advice all eight parties to attend the next meeting”.
On whether a final decision on the Telangana issue would be taken in the next meeting, he said “I don’t know... that may be decided in the next meeting, suppose we invite another meeting”.
Mr. Chidambaram also dismissed suggestions that there was any delay in holding the meeting.
“There is no reason for delay. Please remember that we had Republic Day and I was away and now I am back. Therefore no delay,” he said.