DS rushes to Delhi for a face-saving T-prescription

Beleaguered PCC president D Srinivas rushed to New Delhi on Tuesday with a mission to convince the party high command to submit a report to Srikrishna committee in favour of separate Telangana state.
Srinivas, trounced by the BJP candidate Y Lakshminarayana for the second time from Nizamabad Urban in the recent bypolls, now wants a Telangana statement of sorts from the Congress high command to enthuse the party workers and leaders alike. By presenting a pro-Telangana report to the Srikrishna committee,the party at least can face the public before the municipal elections scheduled to be held later this year or early next year, party sources said.

But it may not be an easy task for the PCC president as the Congress has refused to officially take sides either with Andhra leaders,who are against the division of the state,or,the Telangana partymen who are for creation of a separate state.However,DS efforts would be to tell the central leaders that: The refusal to reveal its stand on Telangana is the reason for the people of the region to view the party with distrust.Can the people believe a party which is not ready to express its stand before the committee and vote for it. However,if not an official endorsement of Telangana,the PCC chief is hoping that his mission would at least result in some forward movement.The high command is most likely going to reject the plea of DS.At most,it might suggest that the PCC chief lead an unofficial delegation of Congress leaders from Telangana to Srikrishna committee and pitch for their cause, the sources asked.

If that happens,the PCC chief wants to submit a strong resolution to the Srikrishna panel and circulate the same to the people of the region.However,according to AICC sources,the high command is not very happy with the results,in particular,that of DSs own defeat. According to sources,when all the Congress candidates were losing one by one,party chief Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel,who was in constant touch with PCC president,asked him to ascertain his chances of victory.Patel reportedly was extremely upset over the result in Nizamabad Urban where despite the presence of a sizable Muslim electorate,a BJP political novice managed to trounce a Congress stalwart. Indications are that the Srikrishna committee will meet Congress leaders anytime after August 8.The PCC chief s gameplan is to ensure that the Congress comes out with a positive and clear report in favour of Telangana,either official or otherwise.

In New Delhi,DS is likely to meet Sonia,Ahmed Patel,M Veerappa Moily,party in-charge of AP,and other senior leaders like Pranab Mukherjee,P Chidambaram,Motilal Vora etc.
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(source-toi)