'Demand for separate Telangana state genuine': Rajnath Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the demand for a separate state of Telangana is genuine and should be fulfilled.

"The demand of the people of Andhra for a separate Telangana state is genuine and should be fulfilled. The demands of the Joint Political Action Committee, the demands of the BJP there for a separate state of Telangana should be fulfilled," he told mediapersons here.

As the UPA Government is to take a final call this evening on the demand for a separate state of Telangana. Hectic political parleys have been underway in the national capital for the last few days.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence after she held a meeting with senior party leaders, including Sushil Kumar Shinde, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijay Singh and Ahmed Patel.

Congress leaders from Andhra Pradesh, who are against the bifurcation of the state, earlier met Digvijay Singh, who is the in-charge of party's affairs in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has also arrived in the national capital and is expected to meet the Prime Minister at around 4 pm. He will also meet party leaders in the capital.

Several Congress leaders are also meeting party chief Sonia Gandhi at her official 10, Janpath residence here.

Congress ministers from non-Telangana regions of Andhra Pradesh like Chiranjeevi and Pallam Raju have said that they will not resign in protest against the decision expected today to bifurcate the state and create Telangana.