The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress leaders put off pro-Telangana rally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress leaders put off pro-Telangana rally

Special Correspondent

Ahmed Patel asks them not to go ahead
Meeting temporarily postponed: Vuppunuthala

HYDERABAD: After forcefully asserting on Thursday that they would go ahead with their proposed public meeting in support for separate Telangana at Bhongir, senior Congress leaders announced on Friday that they would not go ahead with the rally on March 24.

This was announced by Vuppunuthala Purushotham Reddy, MLA, after he received a telephone call from Ahmed Patel, political secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi, asking them not to go ahead with the event as the high command was looking into the demand for statehood to Telangana.

Mr. Reddy stated at a news conference later that Mr. Patel had conveyed the view of Ms. Gandhi who reserved her comment when the seniors called on her in New Delhi on Thursday. He said Ms. Gandhi heard them patiently on the objective of the Bhongir meeting and other related issues for one-and-a-half hours and promised to respond after they returned to Hyderabad. She kept her word.

Mr. Patel was quoted by Mr. Reddy as asking the seniors to postpone the rally so as not to ‘rupture’ their relations. The high command was debating the demand and would be in touch with them. Asked if the meeting was merely postponed or cancelled altogether, Mr. Reddy said it was a temporary postponement. “Who knows, it could well turn out to be a victory rally to celebrate announcement of separate Telangana when it is organised next,” he said. He denied that the high command bowed to pressure.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh