Hyderabad, July 01: Amid demands for an early decision on the Telangana statehood issue, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday said consultations with Congress leaders from the region were on and hoped the Centre would taken an “appropriate decision”.
Reddy parried questions on Congress lawmakers from the Telangana region giving an ultimatum to the party over the demand for a separate state, saying it was not proper for him to comment on “regional issues.”
“The Centre will take an appropriate decision on this issue at the appropriate time. Negotiations and consultations with party leaders from the region are continuing,” he told a press conference here, replying to a volley of questions on the contentious issue.
Interestingly, the Chief Minister was flanked by party MPs from Telangana region including V Hanumantha Rao and K Rajaiah.
Reddy’s comments came on the eve of a crucial meeting of party ministers, MPs and MLAs in Hyderabad to chalk out their plan to exert pressure on the Centre on the statehood demand.
The Chief Minister also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Defence Minister A K Antony during the day.
To a specific question, Reddy reiterated his resolve to get “as many MPs” he could get from Andhra Pradesh so that his dream of seeing Rahul as Prime Minister is fulfilled.
“It is not a new thing. I had earlier said we will try to get as many MPs as possible from the state so that Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister in the future,” he said.
Reddy said this was the dream of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy too.
—PTI