The Group of Ministers (GoM) Seemandhra Lobby met again with the Union Cabinet, slated to take up the recommendations of the GoM for consideration at its special Telangana-centered meeting which will have to clear the UT model for the joint capital status to be held at 4.30 pm on Friday. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, also the head of GoM, and key member Jairam Ramesh briefed the Prime Minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi about its recommendation which has been given a political clearance by Sonia to forward the same for the approval of the full cabinet meeting to be held today evening.

Their main recommendation is that Hyderabad be made a Union Territory for the next 10 years as it will serve as the joint capital of the two states of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh after the division. A move which is vehemently being opposed by the Telangana parties and the TRS as this gives special powers to the governor with regard to law and order and realty issues.


Apart from recommending that Hyderabad be made in to a UT, the GoM  has also asked for the following recommendations  which include: villages in Telangana's Khammam district to be combined (which may be submerged) with Seemandhra's East and West Godavari districts to avoid inter-state disputes while finishing the project.  Also the amendment to Section 46 (1) of the draft Telangana bill to enable the 14th Finance Commission to look at the available resources of the two states and making a viable financial package for  both states. Jairam Ramesh is also in talks with the BJP explaining the recommendations of the Seemandhra leaders regarding this.