Sonia meets PM as UPA inches closer to final decision on Telangana

Sonia meets PM as UPA inches closer to final decision on Telangana
New Delhi, Jul 30: In the midst of mounting pressure from both pro and anti-Telangana leaders, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday ahead of the crucial UPA and CWC meetings to take a final decision on the separate statehood issue.The meeting came as leaders from both groups continued with their pressure tactics even as the leadership was veering towards a decision for creation of a separate state.MPs and union ministers from the Andhra region including HRD minister MM Pallam Raju, JD Seelam, D Purandeshwari and Panabaka Laxmi met AICC general secretary in charge for Andhra Pradesh Digvijaya Singh to register their protest over creation of Telangana."I think the core committee has discussed the matter at length. And they are all worried about it that whatever decision that they may take is going to have a long-term implication on Andhra Pradesh. And that is exactly what we come to express our apprehension about with the general secretary," Raju, who hails from Seemandhra region, said after the meeting.Seelam said whatever information has come about the creation of Telangana is in the media and a decision is yet to be announced officially and hence they have expressed their concerns to the general secretary in charge about it.At the same time, he said there was no question of leaving the Congress and "we will abide by the decision."In another development, 10 Congress ministers from the state belonging to Telangana region have landed in Delhi and are expected to meet a number of party leaders.The have also sought an appointment with the Congress president to press for their demand.Asked about Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's opposition to the bifurcation of the state, state information minister DK Aruna, who hails from Telangana region said, Reddy is taking the decisions."This is a UPA government and Sonia Gandhi will take a final decision," she said, expressing hope that the 50 year struggle will bear fruit.Union ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, P Chidambaram amd Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the earlier AICC general secretary in charge for Andhra Pradesh, and party leaders Digvijaya Singh and Ahmed Patel had a meeting with the Congress president at her residence after Gandhi's meeting with the Prime Minister.
Situation in Andhra Pradesh fine: Home minister
With a decision on the Telangana issue imminent, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Tuesday the situation in Andhra Pradesh is peaceful."Law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh is absolutely fine," he told reporters here after a meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders and Union ministers.The meeting is understood to have discussed the Telangana issue.Yesterday, the Centre had rushed additional 1,000 paramilitary personnel to Andhra Pradesh to deal with any situation arising out of a decision on Telangana.The additional forces, along with the existing 1,200 paramilitary personnel, are expected to be deployed in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, where protests may erupt if the Centre takes a decision in favour of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh for creation of Telangana state.Sources said apart from the central forces, 200 personnel of Karnataka Armed Police and 100 personnel of Tamil Nadu Armed Police are stationed in Hyderabad and its adjoining areas to assist the state police in maintaining the law and order.Home ministry officials are in regular touch with state government officials and have asked them to ensure peace in the state as the Centre is inching closer to a decision on Telangana.Last week, Andhra Pradesh chief secretary P K Mohanty and director general of police V Dinesh Reddy were summoned to the capital where Shinde and home secretary Anil Goswami held an hour-long closed door meeting with them and reviewed the situation there.