Date:29/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/29/stories/2008092954020400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR leaves for Delhi

HYDERABAD: Amid heightened political activity among the Opposition parties, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s two-day visit to New Delhi has assumed significance.

Dr. Reddy left for Delhi on Sunday evening to call on Union Ministers as well as the party senior leaders, including AICC president Sonia Gandhi. He would be joined by AP Congress Committee president D. Srinivas on Monday.

He will meet the Central Ministers to take up with them issues such as fertilizer shortage, loan waiver for weavers, location of mining university in Telangana, forest and environmental clearances for the pending irrigation projects.

His meeting with Ms. Gandhi will be important, as they are expected to deliberate on the prevailing political situation in the State. Talk of grand alliance among the Opposition and the strategy to be adopted by the party will also figure during the meeting. Sources said Dr. Reddy would finalise the dates of Ms. Gandhi’s proposed visit to the State in October. The State Cabinet had last week decided to invite Ms. Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi to address five meetings.