Cong leaders from Telangana to meet Sonia

Hyderabad, Jan 19 (UNI) Senior Congress leader from Telangana U Purushotam Reddy today said a delegation of party leaders from the region would leave for New Delhi on January 28 to urge Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to look into their demand for a Telangana state.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Reddy who is also the Telangana Planning and Development Board Chairman, said ''we will make it clear to Ms Gandhi that any decision by the UPA Government to form a second States' Reorganisation Commission (SRC) when the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are fast approaching, will prove disastrous for the Congress.'' ''We will accept another SRC only if its terms of reference are for working out the modalities for Telangana state in two or three months,'' he added.

The Lok Sabha byelection won by TRS President K Chandrasekara Rao from Karimnagar, accepting a political challenge from the Congress, ''opened our eyes,'' Mr Reddy said.

He also challenged Congress MP from Coastal Andhra L Rajagopal to contest against him from Ramanapet.

On Mr Rajagopal's reported offer to contest from any constituency in Telangana if he was given a ticket, Mr Reddy said ''I am ready to resign my Assembly seat. The byelection can be considered a referendum on the statehood issue.'' MORE UNI SM SJ LS RS2045