CWC takes stock of price rise, Telangana

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today took stock of the situation arising out of price rise and discussed the Telangana statehood issue.

The meeting, chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, deliberated on ways and means to tackle the situation at a time when food inflation was alarmingly high, party sources said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and party general secretaries attended the meeting which also discussed various other issues.

The deliberations took place a day ahead of the conference of Chief Ministers convened by the Prime Minister on price rise and at a time when consultations are on for the Union budget to be presented later this month.

Price rise in recent months has led to a veiled attack on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar with Congress leaders saying that not enough was being done on this front by the NCP leader.

The Congress President in a letter to party workers recently had said the issue of price rise was one of the highest concerns and she had taken up the issue with the Prime Minister.

The previous CWC meeting on price rise was held in August last year in the wake of drought situation and rise in prices of essential commodities. The meeting had asked the party and government to observe austerity measures.

The CWC discussed Telangana issue after the announcement of a committee to look into the matter.