Telangana Congress leaders set up action plan

HYDERABAD: Congress party leaders from Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday

chalked out an action plan to achieve a separate Telangana state but

said they would announce them after two days only.Claiming that

they are ready to make any sacrifice for the cause of Telangana, Rajya

Sabha member K. Keshava Rao told reporters after a meeting of Telangana

Congress steering committee here that they have taken some crucial

decisions."We have prepared an action plan but can't announce it

now. We are at a critical stage. We have taken decisions but give us 48

hours to announce and start implementing them," said Keshava Rao, who

would be leaving for Delhi for talks with the party's central

leadership.The senior leader, who was accompanied by other party

MPs from the region, and state Panchayat Raj Minister and steering

committee co-chairman K. Jana Reddy, made it clear that there would be

no compromise on their demand for a separate Telangana.The

three-hour-long meeting of the steering committee was held amid mounting

criticism of the party leaders for not coming out in support of the

Telangana movement when the region is witnessing a "people's strike".Thanking

employees and other sections of people for participating in the strike,

the steering committee assured that their sacrifice would not go waste.The

leaders condemned the statement by Telangana Joint Action Committee

(JAC) that it would now target Congress. "Our only target should be

achieving Telangana state," Jana Reddy said."If Telangana can be achieved with the resignations, I will be the first to quit," said the minister. He said the party has its own limitations in a democratic process. "We have to move forward with a strategy," he added.The

steering committee condemned the arrests of protesters including

Congress MPs during the "rail blockade" last week. Keshava Rao accused

the state government of hatching a conspiracy to suppress the Telangana

movement.Demanding release of all those arrested during the

movement, Telangana leaders also sought action against police officers

responsible for applying serious sections of Railway Act against the

protesters.