Telangana issue: Sonia meets Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, July 30: In the midst of mounting pressure from both pro and anti-Telangana leaders, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ahead of the crucial UPA and CWC meetings to take a final decision on the separate statehood issue.

The meeting came as leaders from both groups continued with their pressure tactics even as the leadership was veering towards a decision for creation of a separate state.

MPs and union ministers from the Andhra region including HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju, JD Seelam, D Purandeshwari and Panabaka Laxmi today met AICC general secretary in-charge for Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh to register their protest over creation of Telangana.

"I think the core committee has discussed the matter at length. And they are all worried about it that whatever decision that they may take is going to have a long-term implication on Andhra Pradesh.

And that is exactly what we come to express our apprehension about with the General Secretary," Raju, who hails from Seemandhra region, said after the meeting.

Seelam said whatever information has come about the creation of Telangana is in the media and a decision is yet to be announced officially and hence they have expressed their concerns to the general secretary in-charge about it.

At the same time, he said there was no question of leaving the Congress and "we will abide by the decision."

In another development, 10 Congress ministers from the state belonging to Telangana region have landed in Delhi and are expected to meet a number of party leaders.

The have also sought an appointment with the Congress President to press for their demand. Asked about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's opposition to the bifurcation of the state, state Information Minister D K Aruna, who hails from Telangana region said, Reddy is taking the decisions.

"This is a UPA government and Sonia Gandhi will take a final decision," she said, expressing hope that the 50 year struggle will bear fruit.

Union Ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, P Chidambaram amd Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the earlier AICC general secretary in-charge for Andhra Pradesh, and party leaders Digvijay Singh and Ahmed Patel had a meeting with the Congress President at her residence after Gandhi's meeting with the Prime Minister.

PTI