NEW DELHI: Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here on Sunday that the United Progressive Alliance's sub-committee on the Telangana issue would meet in the early part of the Parliament session beginning May 10.

Speaking to reporters after a half-an-hour meeting with a delegation of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti led by its president and Union Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao, Mr. Mukherjee said: "Mr. Rao asked for expediting the submission of the report of the sub-committee [that has been set up to go into the question of formation of the new State].

"I told him that the sub-committee would meet in the early part of the coming Parliament session and that I have requested the other members of the committee to be present for the meeting." (Mr. Mukherjee is the Chairman of the three-member panel. The other members are Cabinet Ministers — Dayananidhi Maran and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh). In a separate meeting with reporters, Mr. Rao, however, said Mr. Mukherjee assured him that the panel would submit its report in the next few days and that official follow-up would begin soon after.

He said that he expected a Bill to be placed in Parliament for the formation of the new State in the next session of the House. "2006 is the year of Telangana. The State will be formed before the end of the year.''

BJP proposal

Asked about a proposal of the BJP to bring an adjournment motion in the coming session of Parliament, he said, "I have also heard of the proposal. Let us see what happens. I will report to you on the developments as and when they take place.''

Hyderabad Special Correspondent adds: Union Minister of State for Rural Development A. Narendra and party ideologue K. Jayashanker accompanied Mr. Rao. Mr. Narendra told The Hindu that Mr. Mukherjee promised to convene a meeting of the sub-committee in two or three days.

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