Hyderabad: Amidst widening rift between the ruling Congress and its pre-poll ally Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Telangana statehood issue, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy today (Oct 4, 2004) hit out at TRS leaders and rebuffed their charge that he was resorting to double-talk on the issue.

"Our stand (on Telangana) is very clear. We are committed to constitution of a second States' Re-organisation Commission (SRC) to look into demands for smaller States," Reddy told reporters in Hyderabad.

Refuting the senior TRS leader and Union Minister A Narendra's allegation that Congress was singing different tunes on Telangana statehood issue, the Chief Minister said, "We have not changed our stand. People who are criticising us should know who is talking in different voices."

Pointing out that his party went to polls on the basis of its commitment to formation of a second SRC, he said, "People have given their verdict in our favour. We are committed to second SRC and there is no double talk involved here."

Quoting from the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), he said Telangana State would become a reality only when there is a political consensus and all parties, including CPI (Communist Party of India) and CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist), agree to it.

Reddy's comments came in the backdrop of an ongoing war of words between the two allies on the issue. Narendra had yesterday accused Chief Minister of making contradictory statements on Telangana.

"He (Reddy) is clearly opposed to formation of Telangana State though he is not saying it openly," Narendra had said.