Congress calls Andhra CM, deputy CM to Delhi

The Congress has called Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, his deputy Damodar Rajanarasimha and state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana to Delhi to discuss the vexed Telangana issue.

The party leadership has called the trio ahead of the much-awaited Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on taking a final decision on the matter.

The leaders have been asked to be available in the national capital Friday, party sources said here.

The CWC meeting is likely July 28 and the central leaders may get certain issues clarified before taking a final decision.

The state leaders had submitted their reports to the Congress Core Committee July 12. The core committee discussed the issue but left the final decision to CWC.

Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, in-charge of party affairs in the state, has said that a decision on the contentious issue would be taken soon but has not given any time frame. Party sources say a decision will be announced Aug 10.

Damodar Rajanarasimha who hails from Telangana is already camping in Delhi while both Kiran Kumar Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana are likely to leave late Thursday or early Friday.

In their reports to the core committee, the chief minister who comes from Rayalaseema region and the state party chief belonging to coastal Andhra are believed to have opposed bifurcation of the state.

Kiran Kumar Reddy has reportedly cautioned the leadership that if granted statehood, Telangana may see revival of Maoist activity.

Meanwhile, Rajanarasimha called on Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy in Delhi. They are understood to have discussed the issue and the strategy to be adopted to put forth their views before the leadership.

Talking to reporters in Hyderabad, Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar exuded confidence that the party leadership would take a decision in favour of Telangana.