Andhra Pradesh   

YSR leaves Telangana issue to Sonia Gandhi

Special Correspondent

Cabinet expansion only after completion of panchayat elections

NEW DELHI: Seeking to steer clear of controversy on the contentious Telangana issue, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Friday emphasised that both the State Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti have left the decision to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"Whatever Ms. Sonia Gandhi decides is acceptable to us,'' Dr. Reddy told correspondents in response to a question whether he was opposed to the creation of a new State.

`No need for statements'

He said as both the parties had left the matter to Ms. Sonia Gandhi there was not need for either of these parties to make public statements everyday.

Both Dr. Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Keshava Rao also met the Congress president to discuss the current political situation in the State. Asked about possible expansion of his Cabinet, the Chief Minister said it could take place after the July panchayat elections.

Asked about a possible alliance/tie-up, he said, the decision would be taken in tune with the prevailing ground situation.

Dr. Reddy, who was here to attend a party convention on the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), said the State Government's work came in for praise. Union Minister Jairam Ramesh made a pointed reference in his presentation on the achievement of the State Government in implementing the programme. For instance, he said, the total number of post office savings account had shot up by four lakh during the past three months on account the scheme.

Dr. Reddy said the performance of the State Government was better as compared to other States. Of the 13 districts where the programme was implemented, 38 lakh people had registered and were issued job cards. He said so far 88,000 works costing Rs. 650 crore had been sanctioned and kept ready to meet labour demand.

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