Jaipal meets Sonia amid hectic activity on Telangana Bill

Telangana leaders are firmly opposed to any move to alter the status of Hyderabad

At a time when YSR Congress Party has intensified its campaign to muster support from opposition parties to defeat the Telangana Bill in Parliament, Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy today met Sonia Gandhi and discussed issues relating to carving out of the new state.

The senior Congress leader is understood to have deliberated a series of issues connected with Telangana, against the backdrop of Congress Union Ministers from Seemandhra demanding Union Territory status for Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Area (HMDA).

However, Telangana leaders have firmly opposed any move to alter the status of Hyderabad, claiming the capital city was part and parcel of the proposed Telangana state.

The meeting had lasted for about 10 minutes, Reddy, who is Science and Technology Minister, told reporters, though he refused to reveal what transpired in the meeting.

Meanwhile, in a bid to counter the efforts YSR Congress Party, a Congress Rajya Sabha member from Telangana region today appealed to leaders from the region to meet members of other political parties to emphasis the need for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

"We (Telangana leaders) should also meet all opposition leaders and political parties to seek their support for smooth passage of the Telangana Bill in Parliament," V Hanumantha Rao told newspersons at a press conference here.

Asked whether his appeal was also for TRS party, he said, "I cannot say whether TRS would come or not, but I can request my leaders."

Rao also alleged that YSR Congress Party chief Jaganmohan Reddy was meeting political parties to influence the CBI. He is misleading political parties, he charged.

It may be recalled that Jagan Mohan Reddy, during the last fortnight, has met leaders of Left and JD(U) parties, besides Chief Ministers of Odisha and West Bengal to garner support against division of Andhra Pradesh.