Congress may take pro-Telangana Stand in Andhra

Congress appears to solve a long-pending Telangana issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The party’s core group has given a nod for statehood Telangana, but the final decision will be taken by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party’s highest decision making authority.

The core group meeting headed by party president Sonia Gandhi was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Defence Minister AK Antony, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran kumar Reddy, PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and the party general secretary Digvijay Singh in New Delhi on Friday.

The Telengana Sangarash Samiti (TRS) leaders are optimistic about the decision. However, CWC will take a final call after discussing pros and cons.

On the other hand, Congress is trying to rope in TRS and YSR Congress leaders for alliance. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Sigh, who is in-change of party’s affairs in Andhra Pradesh, has secured an assurance from the TRS leaders that the party would be merged with Congress after the positive decision on Telangana.

Congress will never spare a single chance to revive party’s dwindling fortunes in the state. Perhaps, this is an ultimate option the Congress has to make a comeback in the next assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Even though, Telangana state is carved out of Andhra, the dispute over the status of Hyderabad will remain so.