Cong High Command Must Decide By 28 Jan: T-MPs

Lok Sabha MPs from Telangana region on Friday demanded that the Congress high command announce its decision on a separate Telangana by January 28.

In a letter reportedly sent to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the MPs have made clear that they would accept nothing short of a seperate Telangana state, and it should be announced by January 28. If the Centre fails to act, then on January 29, the MPs would announce their future course of action.

Although the MPs, who met here at the residence of Nagarurnool MP Manda Jagannatham, did not specify what their future course of action could be, sources say that they have decided to resign en masse on January 29.

Talking to reporters, former PCC chief K Keshav Rao said that Congress leaders would take a "firm decision" on January 29 if the Congress High Command failed to act with urgency. Stating that the leaders were ready to sacrifice anything to achieve statehood, he also suggested the possibility their joining other parties.

The Nagarkurnool MP said the Telangana Congress leaders were hurt by the statement of Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on the Telangana issue. He said that further delay in announcing the decision on Telangana would damage the Congress party's image in the region.

Lok Sabha MPs G Vivek and Ponnam Prabhakar also spoke. They also criticised PCC president Botsa Satyaranaraya for attending the Samaikhya Andhra meeting organised by MP U Arun Kumar. (INN)