Date:27/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/27/stories/2006052707680600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana: KCR meets Congress president

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief and Union Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao on Friday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and urged her to expedite steps towards the formation of a separate State.

During the meeting, Mr. Rao requested that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance should signal a forward movement on the issue before the panchayat elections to be held in the State in July, Congress sources said. Mr.Rao also underlined the approach of the Bharatiya Janata Party, its attempt to draw political mileage and suggested that the UPA retain the initiative.

The TRS chief has been building pressure on the UPA to expedite the report of the Pranab Mukherjee committee set up to hold consultations and evolve a consensus on the question of separate Telangana.