Delhi summons T Cong leaders - Seemandhra Leaders In Capital For United State

New Delhi/Hyderabad: After days of indifference,the Congress high command summoned Telangana Congress leaders to New Delhi for talks on Monday even as Seemandhra leaders positioned themselves in the national capital on Sunday to pitch for united Andhra. According to sources,AICC Gen. secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad communicated to Telangana Congress leaders on Sunday evening that he wants to meet them on Monday.Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao and panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy are likely to leave for the national capital on Monday for talks. According to minister Basavaraj Saraiah, the two leaders would leave only after attending the slated meeting of the partys elected representatives from the region on Monday morning.At the meeting,the leaders will decide as to what stand they should take with regard to the Telangana agitation at the talks with the high command, said sources.

Meanwhile,Seemandhra Congress leaders including 11 ministers in the Kiran cabinet and several MPs landed in New Delhi on Sunday to further their cause with the party high command for keeping the state united. Ministers T G Venkatesh,S Sailjanath and Erasu Pratap Reddy along with several MLAs reached Delhi on Sunday to convey their feelings to the Congress high command while the remaining leaders will arrive in the national capital on Monday morning. 11 Seemandhra MPs are already in New Delhi. We will assemble at MP Kavuri Sambasiva Raos residence on Monday and discuss the strategy before calling on top Congress leaders in the UPA government over the next two days, one minister said.
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T Congmen demand action against TG

Sources said the delegation has secured an appointment with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening at the same time when the two Telangana leaders may be meeting Azad. According to sources,the Seemandhra leaders want to persuade the party high command to settle the issue once and for all by stating clearly that the state should not be divided.The continued silence on the issue by the Centre is damaging the states interests and fuelling unrest in all the three regions.For normalcy to be restored in Andhra Pradesh,it is essential that the Telangana issue is settled, they added.

On Sunday,six T Congress MPs took strong objection to the reported comments of minister T G Venkatesh that those who resort to violence and intimidation in the name of Telangana should be severely punished.The MPs --Madhu Yashki Goud,Ponnam Prabhakar,V Hanumantha Rao,G Sukhender Reddy,G Vivek and Komatreddy Rajagopal Reddy -- in separate interviews to the media on Sunday said CM Kiran Kumar and governor E S L Narasimhan should immediately remove Venkatesh from the Cabinet for his alleged inappropriate comments.

While advocating strict punishment for those resorting to violence at the meeting of Seemandhra legislators forum in Vijayawada on Saturday,the minor irrigation minister had also suggested the formation of armed protection teams for civilians to prevent attacks by T supporters.Condemning the statement of Venkatesh,Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki said that instead of making such sweeping remarks,the minister must tour the T districts. We are not fighting for the post of chief minister,as has been alleged by the minister.It is a fight for self-respect.In fact,Seemandhra leaders have prospered in our area at the cost of our people, said MP Vivek.Congress MP K Rajagopal warned the minor irrigation minister that he would have to face the wrath of the people if he dared to speak in that tone.Former minister Ramreddy Damodar Reddy asked the minister not to precipitate matters.
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(Source-TOI)