Telangana: AP CM Reddy meets Sonia

Ahead of the crucial Congress meeting on Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kirankumar Reddy today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and briefed her about the political situation in the state.
The meeting came amid indications that Congress has decided to spell out a clear stand on the vexed issue of separate statehood soon.
Sources said that more than half a dozen Lok Sabha MPs from Telangana region today held a meeting at the residence of MP Ponnam Prabhakar. The meeting was also attended by ministers from Telangana region in the Reddy-led government in the state.
The MPs Prabhakar, Madhuyakshi Goud, Sukhender Reddy, S Rajaiah, Suresh Kumar Shetkar and others also held a meeting at the residence of AICC secretary and a senior leader from the region V Haumantha Rao.

The pro-Telangana leaders have plans to meet AICC general secretary in-charge for the state Digvijay Singh and Gandhi's secretary Ahmed Patel before the Core Group meeting in which some finality on the issue is expected.
In the Core Group meeting, which will also be attended by Rahul Gandhi, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, PCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana and Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha will give a presentation on the issue of Telangana.

Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh before Digvijay is also expected to attend the Core Group meeting.
Maintaining that a decision cannot be postponed "anymore" Singh had yesterday said that the Core Group meeting will discuss the Telangana issue with "both options open"--status quo or creation of a separate state.

"This has to be decided by Government of India in consultation with UPA partners. As this may also need amendment to the Constitution, we may have to take Opposition parties also on board," Singh had said.