NEW DELHI: The status of Hyderabad became the focal point during the first round of consultations the Congress high command had with the party’s Telangana leaders here on Monday.A 14-member delegation comprising five ministers, five MPs, two MLAs and two MLCs met Union health minister and AICC general secretary in chrge of the party affairs in Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad in the evening and underlined the need for creation of a separate Telangana state.During the one-and-ahalf- hour discussions, the Telangana leaders explained the political necessity to create separate Telangana state in the given circumstances, particularly in the wake of the December 9,2009 statement of the government on the issue.Azad, on his part, tried to seek information on what had happened after he demited the charge of Andhra Pradesh. He also asked the delegation to explain the developments that took place during the tenures of Digvijay Singh and Veerappa Moily, and if any resolution was passed by the Assembly.The leaders informed Azad that they would make a PowerPoint presentation on Wednesday highlighting the injustice their region suffered for over five decades in matters of water sharing, employment and others.When Azad sought the delegation’s reaction to the demand for making Hyderabad the joint capital for some period in the event of state’s division, the Telangana leaders said they would respond on Wednesday.The leaders told Azad that they were anguished and unhappy over the way their resignations were rejected.Azad remained tightlipped when the leaders spoke of the party’s failure to keep its promise on Telangana made in the election manifesto, common minimum programme, presidential address and the statement made on December 9, 2009. He, however, assured them of taking their views to the notice of Congress leadership.There was no subjectwise discussion at the meeting.Talking to newsmen later, Telangana Congress Steering Committee chairman and minister K Jana Reddy asserted that they would not go back on their resignations.“We have full confidence in the high command. They are holding discussions with us to resolve the tangle. An issue could be resolved through democratic means and discussions.We are confident that Telangana state would be formed in accordance with the aspirations of Telangana people. We are committed to our resignations and will reconsider submitting them again,” he said.Another chairman and MP K Keshava Rao claimed that they had asked Azad about the party’s failure to take a decision on Telangana even after submission of Srikrishna Committee report. “We asked for the reasons for the delay in taking a decision for implementation of the December 9 statement. We asked Azad to hold discussions on the objections raised by Seemandhra leaders to our Telangana demand,” he said.Besides Jana Reddy and Keshava Rao, Telangana ministers B Saraiah, P Lakshmaiah, J Geeta Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, MPs G Sukhender Reddy, Madhu Yashki, M Jagannadham, G Vivek, K Rajagopal Reddy, MLAs G Venkata Ramana Reddy, R Damodar Reddy, J Krishna Rao and MLC K Yadava Reddy were present.
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