Date:25/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/25/stories/2008012555100600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana Congress leaders to be silent

Special Correspondent

Moily’s assurance to the leaders cools down frayed tempers

Party has no intention of constituting
second SRC
Telangana Congress leaders to visit Delhi on January 29

HYDERABAD: Having obtained a firm assurance from the AICC that it was seriously looking into the issue of Telangana, senior Congress leaders from the region have decided to refrain from publicly airing their comments till their meeting with AICC president Sonia Gandhi on January 29.

The assurance was given by AICC general secretary M. Veerappa Moily to Congress Working Committee member G. Venkatswamy and party MPs V. Hanumantha Rao and Madhu Yaskhi, who met him in New Delhi during the last two days.

Party sources said Mr. Moily specifically requested all the Congress leaders, including those from Telangana, not to openly issue statements that would damage the party’s reputation.

He is understood to have told Mr. Yaskhi that AICC president Sonia Gandhi was seriously looking into the demands by Telangana Congress leaders and that the party had no intention of constituting a second States Reorganisation Commission.

The Nizamabad MP complained about the conduct of certain Ministers and MLAs whose statements against senior party leaders from Telangana were highly damaging.

He told The Hindu that Mr. Moily asked the Telangana Congress leaders to come to Delhi on January 29. “He urged the Congress leaders not to aggravate the situation by publicly airing views on Telangana,” he said.

“I requested Mr. Moily to impress upon Ms. Gandhi to seriously consider the demand for separate Telangana as the Congress can easily win all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 elections,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders met at the residence of MLC M. Manik Rao here on Thursday evening. Mr. Venkataswamy, Telangana Congress Forum convenor K.R. Amos and others attended.

Clarifies

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mr. Amos clarified that the Chief Minister was their leader.

He pointed out that as the Telangana was a national issue, the leaders from the region wanted the high command to act immediately. He denied the charge that the Telangana Congress leaders had issued an ultimatum to the party president. He said a delegation would leave for Delhi on January 28 and try to meet Mrs. Gandhi.