What is Sonia's Decision on State Politics ?

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has concluded her week-long consultations with leaders of Andhra Pradesh on the twin issues of Telangana and strengthening of the party.

She has during the week met every one who sought her appointment, quite contrary to her style of functioning of keeping people waiting. She has met over 25 leaders including ministers, MPs, MLAs and other leaders during the past week and heard them patiently. She has even jotted down notes herself on the points mentioned by the AP leaders.

The rapt attention with which she heard the views of AP leaders at a time when she was extremely busy with the Presidential polls has shown the importance she was giving to strengthening of the party which is apparently in shambles in Andhra Pradesh.

Consultations started with MPs V Hanumanta Rao and K V P Ramachandra Rao setting the tone during their meeting with the party supremo. Later the Governor ESL Narasimhan also gave a secret report to Sonia Gandhi on his own assessment of the party’s position and the Telangana issue.

Later Rajya Sabha member Chiranjeevi, Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana, state ministers D L Ravindra Reddy, Raghuveera Reddy, Geeta Reddy, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, C Ramachandraiah, MPs K M Khan, Kotla Surya Prakasha Reddy, Sarve Satyanarayana, Renuka Choudary, Kanumuri Bapiraju, Sarve Satyanarayana, Magunta Srinivasa Reddy, Palvai Govardhan Reddy, Rayapati Sabasva Rao, MLA Sasidhar Reddy, Deputy Speaker Bhatti Vikramarka and several others have met Sonia Gandhi. Some of them have also met Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Vayilar Ravi also.

Sonia Gandhi has asked all these leaders their views only on two issues. The first is ways to strengthen the party and the second is Telangana.

It is learnt that while there were divergent views on the leadership of Kiran Kumar Reddy, leaders from all the three regions have said that there was need to settle the Telangana issue one way or the other.

As Sonia Gandhi has concluded consultations on AP and started concentrating on other issues, leaders have returned to Hyderabad, leaving her time and peace to think and decide.

Apart from Congress leaders, even the advocates of Telangana like TRS are waiting for Sonia Gandhi to announce her decision, with nerve-shattering suspense.