Sonia Gandhi for separate Telangana state in principle

Secunderabad, Mar 1 (ANI): Congress President Sonia Gandhi has said that her party is in favour of creating a separate Telangana state in principle.

Addressing a public meeting here on Saturday evening, Gandhi said: "As far as the issue of creating a separate Telangana state is concerned, Congress party is not against the creation of new state. But this issue involves some concerns, which should be sorted out through dialogue and consensus."

Ever since 1969, the proponents of separate Telangana have felt that their region has always remained neglected,exploited and backward.

In 2004 Assembly and Parliament elections, Congress party and TRS had an electoral alliance in Telangana region with the promise of separate Telangana State.

The Congress came to power in the state and formed coalition government at the centre.owever, in September 2006, the TRS withdrew support for the Congress on the grounds of indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana.

Since then, the Congress has been under great pressure from the opposition to take a clear stand on the issue.

Gandhi, who was on a two-day tour of Andhra Pradesh addressed the rally for 20 minutes.

Without naming anyone, Gandhi said some forces were creating obstacles in India's path of progress.

"We all know that some people are envious of our rapid development and economic growth. These people are trying to create obstacles in the path of our progress either through militant strikes or any other mean. But no one can stop India from progressing, as the country is capable of meeting any challenge," she said.

Commending Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Gandhi said: "Andhra Pradesh's story of achieving spectacular development is being talked about everywhere and Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is being praised for his efforts."

"This success story of the past five years is important because the previous non-Congress Government ruled for nine years and had not been able to achieve anything, or record any development. I have seen the difficulties that the people here faced due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Telugu Desam Party," she added.

She also listed her party's achievements in the last five years and claimed that the Congress is the only party that does not contest elections to come to power, but because it wants to serve the people.

Remembering the Congress forefathers she said, "If it was not for Jawaharlal Nehru who thought of a mixed economy, we would have been in a different situation.

If Indira Gandhi did not have the foresight of nationalising banks, what would have happened to all the private banks today? If Rajiv Gandhi had not thought of revolutionising information technology in the country, we would have been lagging far behind. The Congress has always thought of the poor, weaker sections." (ANI)