(Image source from: Indian to get its 29th state today)

If Congress decides to bite the bullet on the raging Telangana issue, then today could be a historic day for the whole of Andhra Pradesh.

UPA allies are likely to  meet the Congress Core Committee at 5.30 in the evening today to hash over the proposal of bifurcation. The working committee might then pass a resolution endorsing a separate Telangana state. Allies are likely to give a thumbs up to the government's proposal.

Ahead of the announcement, a troop of extra 1,000 paramilitary personnel, apart from the already existing 1,200 personnel, have been deployed in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions, where uprising is anticipated following the creation of two states.

Also, an army of 200 Karnataka Armed Police personnel  and 100 Tamil Nadu Armed Police  personnel
 have been deployed in Hyderabad and its neighboring areas to thwart any upheaval.

Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, in the meanwhile, is already on his way to meet the party high command Sonia Gandhi ahead of the crucial Congress Working Committee meeting. He has denied all news of resignation.

Earlier in 2001, the CWC had passed a resolution seeking a state reorganizing committee that would create way for smaller states, Telangana being one of them.

With many Andhra leaders along with CM Kiran Kumar Reddy opposed to bifurcation of the state, citing water and power problem, Congress is caught in a fix, it seems.

The Telangana issue first came to the fore in 1960 after students of Osmania University in Hyderabad raise issues of discrimination from people of Telangana. Since then, the people have demanded  separate statehood for the region continuously.

AW: Suchorita Dutta