Digvijay submits proposal on ‘T’

‘High command will take a call after CM, Deputy CM and PCC chief present their case’

AICC general secretary in charge of AP Digvijay Singh has said that he had submitted his proposal on Telangana demand to party president Sonia Gandhi.

The timing of the party’s decision would depend on the preparedness of three AP leaders -- the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and the AP Congress Committee president -- as they would have to present their case before the party's top brass.

“When they get ready and Ms. Gandhi has time, they will appear before the Congress Core Committee and a decision will be taken,” the Congress leader said.

In a related development, MLC P. Sudhakar Reddy, who met President Pranab Mukherjee here on Monday, in a memorandum, urged him to use his good offices to find an amicable solution to the Telangana issue as suicides seeking the separate State had been continuing. However, the President, who once headed the Committee to consider the demand for Telangana when he was in the UPA-I Cabinet, did not make any comment on the issue, it is learnt.

Special Correspondent in Hyderabad reports: As the party’s central leadership was inching towards bringing the issue to a conclusion shortly,

Mr. Singh gave audience to Union Minister Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy and MPs – Renuka Chowdary and Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and separately to Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC) representatives in New Delhi and later said a decision would be taken soon.

OUJAC leaders meet Digvijay

The OUJAC student leaders, after meeting the AICC general secretary, claimed that the people of Telangana would hear some ‘sweet news’ shortly.

OUJAC spokesperson M. Krishank said that Mr. Singh had responded positively when they sought clarity on the statehood issue. “In fact, he offered us sweets as well,” he said and added that they got some positive response on statehood issue and the police cases filed against the students during the Telangana agitation. Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao welcomed the resignations tendered by Kadapa MLAs. “If necessary, we will also follow suit when the time comes,” he said.

War of words

In Hyderabad, the war of words between the Telangana Congress leaders continued with Rajya Sabha member Palvai Goverdhan Reddy insisting that the Chief Minister and the PCC chief should consult leaders from Telangana before submitting their reports to the high command.

Congress MLA from Nellore district Anam Vivekananda Reddy dismissed the talk of bifurcation and said that Congress, unlike regional or family-based parties, would weight pros and cons before taking the crucial decision.