Telangana Congress MPs given heroic welcome

The Congress MPs from Telangana region, who were suspended from the Lok Sabha for four days for stalling the proceedings over statehood issue, were given a heroic welcome in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The MPs - G Vivek, S Rajaiah, Madhu Yaskhi, Ponnam Prabhakar, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Balram Naik, Komatreddy Rajagopal Reddy and Manda Jagannatham were brought in a rally from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad to Gun Park on their return from the national capital. Led by former Rajya Sabha MP K Keshava Rao, the MPs paid tributes to the martyrs of Telangana at Gun Park.

Later, talking to reporters, Keshav Rao said the protest by MPs in the Lok Sabha was just the beginning of a new wave of agitation to achieve statehood for the Telangana region. He appealed to all political parties in the region to sink differences and join hands to achieve the goal. He said blame game and mud-slinging against each other would only damage the agitation.

Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud condemned the political parties who described the MPs suspension as political drama. He said criticism against each by Telangana leaders was one of the major cause of delay in the formation of Telangana. He also accused Governor ESL Narasimhan and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy of obstructing the Telangana State formation.

Madhu Yashki said that the Congress MPs from the region would meet on Monday to decide the future course of action. He said the decision on whether or not to participate in the Lok Sabha session too would be taken on Monday.

He claimed that the MPs' agitation has moved the Congress High Command and Union Ministers - Ghulam Nabi Azad and Vayalar Ravi held discussions with them twice since their suspension. He said an assurance has been given that Sonia Gandhi would soon take a decision on the statehood issue.

Among those who received the MPs at Gun Park include Telangana JAC leaders including Srinivas Goud, members of Lawyers JAC, Telangana Vimochana Samithi leader and MLC Dilip and other Congress leaders.