Andhra Pradesh CM presses for early decision on Telangana

New Delhi, Feb 17: With an eye on the 2014 elections,

Chief Minister

has asked the Centre and the Congress to take an "early decision" on the "sensitive and delicate" issue of

statehood demand.

Kiran told Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi during his interaction with Chief Ministers, PCC chiefs and CLP leaders that the state government and Andhra Pradesh Congress want a decision to be taken soon.

"We requested the central leadership and the party leadership for a early decision on the issue of Telangana. The issue of Telangana needs time. It is a sensitive and delicate issue and the central leadership is looking at it," he told a press conference here.

He did not answer questions on what was Rahul Gandhi’'s response to the demands made by him and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana.

The Chief Minister had last week told Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that an early decision on Telangana was needed.

Asked whether the Telangana issue would be put on backburner till the elections, Reddy avoided a direct reply by merely saying the Congress High Command and Centre are looking at it.

He said the Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Maharashtra also raised the Telangana issue during the meeting. However, he did not elaborate.

On the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, he said issues like strengthening the party, reaching out to youth and incentives to party cadres were discussed.

Asked whether Rahul Gandhi should be projected as the party’'s Prime Ministerial candidate, he said the Congress Vice-President had himself said that the party would decide on its role.

Pressed for his personal opinion, he said the Andhra Pradesh Congress would try to send maximum number of MPs in the 2014 elections so that Rahul Gandhi gets the top job. He also said Rahul Gandhi would soon visit Andhra Pradesh.

PTI