Telangana ministers waiting for Sonia’s return

 Ministers hailing from Telangana have decided to undertake a visit to Delhi along with all the ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the region soon after the return of Congress president Sonia Gandhi from abroad in order to exert pressure on the high command for a speedy decision on state's bifurcation.

 K Jana Reddy, J Geeta Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah and B Saraiah, who met at the residence of Jana Reddy at Banjara Hills here on Monday, took the decision.  The meeting also discussed formulating a fresh action plan on the issue.

 The ministers noted that the TDP was thinking of submitting a fresh letter to the Centre making its stand on Telangana clear and any further delay by the Congress leadership on the issue would have an adverse impact on the electoral fortunes of the ruling party.

 The ministers had already drafted a memorandum addressed to the AICC president and seeking immediate granting of statehood to the Telangana region.

 The memorandum was signed by all the ministers from Telangana except labour minister Danam Nagender and deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha.

 Holding of the meeting at the residence of Jana Reddy assumed significance as the panchayat raj minister is tipped to be one of the frontrunners for the post of chief minister in the event of AICC top brass considering a change of guard in the state.  When asked about it, Saraiah said chief ministership was not at all on their agenda and made it clear that they would accept nothing short of statehood for Telangana.