“There is no flip-flop on part of the government over Telangana,” Chidambaram told reporters while presenting his ministry’s monthly progress report.

He said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its common minimum programme had said that a separate Telangana state will be carved out from Andhra Pradesh “at an appropriate time” after due consultations and consensus.

Major political parties in Andhra Pradesh, he said, contested the 2009 assembly elections on manifestos that “in one manner or other declared support for the formation of a separate state of Telangana”.

Referring to two statements he had made Dec 9 and Dec 23 on the issue, the home minister said: “The central government simply responded to the situation in Andhra Pradesh.”

“On Dec 9, it was announced that an appropriate resolution would be moved in the state assembly. I would like to highlight key words in the statement: they are ‘process’, ‘appropriate resolution’ and ‘moved’. In the background of the minutes of the all party meeting, I would like to ask what was wrong with that statement,” he queried.

And on Dec 23, after MPs and legislators from the state appeared divided over the issue, the government stressed the need to hold consultations with all political parties on the issue following a fortnight of protests in Andhra Pradesh for and against the separate state.

“We simply responded to the wishes of the people of Andhra Pradesh. I hope you don’t call the Jan 5 meeting a flip-flop,” Chidambaram jokingly added.

“The Jan 5 meeting is the first step in consultations. We have called the recognised parties in the state to devise a mechanism and lay a roadmap on the issue,” he said.

Chidambaram also pointed out that other student groups and interested parties would also be consulted at a later stage.