Congress MP softens Telangana stand; to go by party decision

Softening his stance on the Telangana issue, Congress Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao today said he would abide by the decision of party President Sonia Gandhi on the matter.

Softening his stance on the Telangana issue, Congress Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao today said he would abide by the decision of party President Sonia Gandhi on the matter.

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"Whatever Congress President Sonia Gandhi says, it is the benchmark on us. None can erase it. Whatever party tells us, that is ultimate and final," Rao, a member of the Congress Working Committee, told reporters here.

Rao, a strong supporter of the separate Telangana demand, had said on an earlier occasion he would not mind quitting his CWC membership for the sake of Telangana.

He and some other party MPs from Andhra Pradesh have also said they are ready to quit their posts, if need be, in support of the separate Telangana demand.

Rao is seen as a leader of the Telangana Congress MPs and he led them during a fast undertaken last month for lifting all the police cases filed against pro-statehood students. Following the fast, the State's Congress Government had decided to withdraw the cases.

The Telangana Congress MPs are active in campaigning within the party for separate state.