Four Telangana ministers led by panchayati raj minister K. Janareddy who were in Delhi to appraise the high command leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the Telangana issue failed to get an appointment with her. Ms Gandhi has refused to meet delegations demanding either pro-or anti-Telangana since December 2009 and has entrusted the job to senior leaders ever since.
Although the ministers tried hard to get her appointment after meeting other leaders, Mrs Gandhi’s office refused to oblige. Speaking to newsmen before their return to state capital after a three-day visit to Delhi, senior minister K. Janareddy said the Congress party is now facing a critical situation in the state on account of the indecisiveness on the Telangana issue.
“Chandrababu and Sharmila Reddy are presently on padayatras, if Congress party does not settle the Telangana issue soon, the party will lose badly in all regions,” Mr Janareddy said. The minister said they met senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vayalar Ravi and Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on the issue and demanded an early decision on Telangana so that the party can bounce back from the present crisis.
He said the high command leaders promised to review the issue and make an announcement soon.
Mr Janareddy said they have submitted letters signed by 13 Telangana ministers and 43 legislators demanding an early and favourable statement on the statehood. “We have also faxed these letters to the Congress president’s office,” he said.