Andhra CM Reddy meets Sonia, discusses Telangana issue

NEW DELHI - With the demand for the creation of a separate state of Telangana gaining momentum, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy met Congress President Sonia Gandhi here on Sunday and is understood to have discussed the contentious matter.

It is believed that Reddy, who met the UPA Chairperson at her 10, Janpath residence here, discussed the Telangana statehood demand issue.

The meeting assumes significance, as it comes a day after 16 Andhra Pradesh ministers in their joint memorandum to Gandhi said the MPs from Telangana had already presented their case before the top leadership and made no secret of their ‘uncompromising stand’ on a separate state.

There was, however, no official statement issued with regard to the meeting between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and the Congress President.

Congress on Wednesday said it will take up the issue of a separate Telangana state after presentation of the Union Budget.

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters this assurance was given by the Leader of the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, to a group of party MPs from Telangana, who met him today.

Ahmed said the MPs also met Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi in this regard.

N Kiran Kumar Reddy had on Tuesday appealed to Telangana protagonists not to hamper development and welfare programmes, and maintained that it was for the Centre to take a decision on the contentious statehood issue.

The Central Government has appointed a judicial commission headed by former Supreme Court Justice Srikrishna to look into issue.

The report, submitted to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in December last year, has suggested at least six options, including maintaining status quo in the state or bifurcating the state. (ANI)