All parties were on board on Telangana decision: Congress

As protests continued against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh Wednesday said all parties were on board and had given their assent for the decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana.

"The central government took the decision after consultations with all parties. When all parties gave it in writing only then was the decision taken (for creation of Telangana)," Singh, the party in charge for Andhra Pradesh, said here.

On former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu's protest in New Delhi, Singh said while he has great respect for the TDP chief "after giving in writing (his assent) if he backtracks then what can be done".

Singh spoke in a similar vein about the protest fast by YSR Congress party head Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.  "Jaganmohan Reddy is like my son, his father was my very good friend... After giving his support to Telangana, if he also does a U-turn what can we do."

Singh added: "The Congress party took the decision after much thought and deliberations, and we had anticipated these developments." The central government Tuesday constituted a seven-member group of ministers (GoM) to look into the issues related to carving a Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, including distribution of resources like financial assets, water and electricity, and government staff. 

Jaganmohan Reddy is on an indefinite fast against the government decision to divide Andhra Pradesh. On Wednesday, as his fast entered the fifth day, he was suffering from dehydration and was running fever.