New Delhi, Dec 23 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday described Home Minister P. Chidambaram's latest statement on Telangana as "ridiculous" and slammed the government for its inability to handle the crisis.

Shifting from his Dec 9 statement in favour of a separate Telangana state, Chidambaram said Wednesday evening that the situation in Andhra Pradesh had changed and political parties were divided on the issue.

"It is a ridiculous announcement," BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said here.

He said the government did not know how to deal with the crisis.

Javadekar said the government had decided on their own Dec 9 to initiate the process to create a separate Telangana.

"Today they have realised that no consensus was there," he told reporters.

Chidambaram said in his statement that the government would take steps to involve all concerned in the process of talks.

"The central government appeals to all people of Andhra Pradesh and to all political parties and students to withdraw their agitation and maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood," adding that the state government should be allowed to focus on governance.(IANS)