Date:20/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/20/stories/2004122008280400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Congress MLAs from Andhra, Rayalaseema to meet Sonia

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 19. A delegation of Congress legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema are leaving for New Delhi to meet the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, to convey their opposition to the demand for separate Telangana and make a pitch for a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC).

Congress legislators -- Gade Venkat Reddy and M. Buddha Prasad -- on Sunday told reporters that a small delegation of six or seven MLAs would go to New Delhi in a day or two and meet Ms. Gandhi. "The idea is to bring to her notice the feelings of a majority of party leaders on the demand for a separate State". The delegation has not yet been given an appointment by the party chief.

Mr. Reddy said the MLAs wanted to convey to Ms. Gandhi the feelings of a majority of leaders from Andhra and Rayalaseema favouring a unified Andhra Pradesh. He said the recent statements by TRS leaders had created confusion in the administration and in the minds of people. "We have a right to tell the high command our feelings," he said denying charges that they were trying to bring political pressure.

TRS remarks decried

He said only a second SRC could decide the demand for new States. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the UPA common minimum programme had favoured the SRC and suggested that a consensus could be arrived on the issue. He found fault with TRS leaders' statements that there was no need to consult State Congress leaders, as Ms. Gandhi's word was final.

Meanwhile, office-bearers of the Telangana Aikya Vedika (TAV) on Sunday urged people's representatives elected on the Telangana plank to either speak out on the injustice done to people of the region or quit their position.

Awareness meets

At a press conference, its general secretary, T. Hanumandlu, and the convenor, Telangana People's Movement, Pasham Yadagiri, regretted that not once in the recent winter session of the Assembly the word `Telangana' was heard.

From next month, meetings would be held to create awareness among people. The meetings would be held in Kamareddy (January 9), Medak (January 23) and Sircilla (February 6). Irrigation experts and intellectuals would participate in the meetings, they said.