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Andhra's top Congress leader in Delhi to discuss Telangana

Last updated on: November 09, 2011 14:53 IST

The Congress's central leadership has summoned Andhra Pradesh party unit's chief Botsa Sathyanarayana to Delhi to discuss the Telangana issue.

Sathyanarayana is expected to discuss the demand for creation of Telangana with the party's top leaders today.

The Congress is working out a package for Telangana to ensure that party leaders are on a  strong footing when the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly starts another session in December. Telangana will be a major issue for the Congress as losing more party legislators, who have been resigning to press for the creation of a separate state, may prove to be fatal.

Sources in Andhra Pradesh Congress say that they are hopeful that the party will take a concrete decision on the issue, but they are not sure what the central leadership is planning.

Pro-Telangana activists fear that an announcement for a separate state will not be made anytime soon. But they are expecting at least a package for the region from the Centre.

Meanwhile, protests to demand Telangana are currently on standstill, as activists want to see what the Centre can offer them.

"We will await the outcome of the discussions in Delhi today. Although many of us will be happy with a package, the fight will continue till a separate state is granted," said one of them.

Our correspondent from Delhi adds: The Andhra Pradesh assembly has to be convened before December 3 to avoid constitutional hassles for Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Governor ESL Narasimhan

On November 22, when the winter session of Parliament commences, the Congress will again have to deal with the 10 members of Parliament who have given in their resignations to press for the creation of Telangana.

After Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returns from the SAARC meet in Maldives on November, the core committee of the Congress is expected to take a decision on the report by Health Minister and party's in-charge for Andhra Pradesh affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad on resolving the Telangana issue.

Vicky Nanjappa