Date:27/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/27/stories/2008012758430700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana Congress leaders put off Delhi visit by a week

AICC spokesman rules out possibility of CWC meeting

HYDERABAD: The proposed visit of senior Telangana Congress leaders to New Delhi has been postponed by a week following a communication from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) that the party president Sonia Gandhi has not recovered completely from her recent illness.

However, the group of young legislators of the Congress are going ahead with their scheduled visit to New Delhi on January 28.

Firm request

The senior leaders planned to meet Ms. Gandhi on January 29 to make a firm request to concede demand for a separate Telangana State.

But their efforts to prevail upon the high command received a setback when AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi ruled out the possibility of convening a meeting of the CWC to discuss the issue of Telangana as demanded by Mr. G. Venkataswamy.

In the wake of these developments, a meeting was held in the residence of CWC member G. Venkataswamy on Saturday, which was attended by APSRTC chairman M. Satyanarayana Rao, Telangana Regional Development Board chairman V. Purushottam Reddy, Telangana Congress Forum convenor K. R. Amos, AICC secretary Madhu Yaskhi, MLCs Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, Manik Rao and others.

Briefing reporters later, Mr. Amos said, “We decided to postpone the visit till February first week .” Mr. Purushottam Reddy said that postponement did not mean that the Telangana Congress leaders had softened their stand. “We will fight till we achieve Telangana,” he pointed out. Sources said that the meeting took note of the resignations forwarded by the TRS legislators and felt that it could only harm the Congress’ interests.