Azad off to Andhra as Telangana back in focus

With the poll process in five states over, the Telangana issue is set to take the centrestage again. Aurangzeb Naqshbandi reports.

With the poll process in five states over, the Telangana issue is set to take the centrestage again.

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Congress ministers in Andhra Pradesh, MPs and legislators from the Telangana are holding a crucial meeting in Hyderabad on Monday to decide their future course of action on the statehood demand.

They are planning to build up pressure on the Centre by organising a fresh round of protests in support of their movement across the state.

Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Ghulam Nabi Azad is also rushing to Hyderabad on Monday and is expected to hold a series of meetings with party leaders from all the regions on the issue.

The Telangana stir is expected to gain momentum with political parties such as the TRS, the BJP, the Left and the TDP adopting an aggressive stance. For its part, the Congress, which is deeply divided on the regional lines, has to formulate and spell out its stand.

The Congress high command had earlier directed the party leaders from Telangana to "lie low" and not "aggravate the matter" till the assembly elections in five states are over. The high command had argued that since senior party leaders would be busy in campaigning and other election-related matters, it would be difficult to take any decision on the issue.