Congress MPs to join TRS

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is spearheading the movement for formation of a separate state for the Telangana region, got a shot in the arm on Thursday with two Congress MPs and a former president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) deciding to come under its fold.

Failing to get any response from the Congress high command to their May 30 deadline for a decision on carving out a Telangana state, Congress MPs from the region Manda Jagannadham and G Vivekanand besides former APCC chief K Kesava Rao stated they would join the TRS on June 2 at a public meeting to be held at the Nizam College grounds here.

Welcoming the Congress leaders move to join his party, TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao said all pro-Telangana forces were now coming under one roof and they would wage a relentless struggle till a separate statehood for the region was achieved.

A fortnight ago, Telugu Desam Party leader and former minister, Kadiam Srihari, had joined the TRS stating that his sole objective for changing the party was to a secure a Telangana state.

Vivekanand, who represents the Peddapalli constituency in Karimnagar district, said he was quitting Congress as there was no response from the high command to the request of the party MPs from Telangana for taking a decision on the statehood issue by May 30.

Nagarkurnool MP Jagannadham said the Centre had changed its stance on Telangana. "Is it the policy of the Congress not to keep its word?" he asked.

Kesava Rao said they had decided to join the "people's movement" for a Telangana state.