Union aviation minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh said there were no indications in Del-hi of granting statehood to Telangana before Dasara as claimed by TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Speaking to newsmen here on Sunday after formally launching Telangana RLD, a new outfit to fight for the cause of Telangana state, Mr Singh said he planned to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon and demand an immediate announcement on Telangana. He said the Centre was favour-able to the demand but there was no immediate likelihood of an announcement. Mr Singh launched the new outfit at a function held here on Sunday and named K. Indira Dileep Kumar, wife of MLC K. Dileep Kumar, as its ad hoc president.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Singh said the fight for separate Telangana has been on for the last five decades and the time has now come for the Centre to act on the matter. He added that his new party will contest all the seats in the local body elections in the region. “The situation in Telangana today is such that no one can tour the villages without chanting the Telangana mantra,” the Union minister said.
Mr Singh’s son and RLD working president Jayant Singh also attended the meet and joined in dancing with cultural troupes. Earlier, Mr Singh attended a breakfast meeting at the residence of Nizamabad Congress MP Madhu Yashki Goud, which was also attended by some Telangana Congress MPs, besides TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram and others. Speaking after the meeting, the Union minister said he could not predict when the Centre would announce its decision on Telangana but he said the issue has been under active consideration by the Centre. He said all parties, organisations and individuals in favour of Telangana state should fight in unison to achieve their objective.
Prof Kodandaram said Mr Singh had asked all of them to stay united to fight for the separate statehood. He added that there was a favourable atmosphere on the Telangana demand.