Did not speak to Rahul Gandhi, clarifies Owaisi

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday denied reports that appeared in a section of electronic media that AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi spoke to him regarding MIM's decision to severe ties with the Congress party. 

Owaisi told INN that although some senior leaders of the Congress party might be trying to speak to him to reconsider the decision, he was evading their calls. Stating that he was firm on its decision, he said that he was not willing to speak to anyone regarding reconciliation. He said that the decision to withdraw support from the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre and State was collectively taken by the party's Executive Council after a thorough discussion and he would ensure that the same gets implemented. 

Meanwhile, United Muslim Action Committee convenor Moulana Abdul Raheem Qureshi said that the committee would standby its announcement of supporting the MIM's campaign against Kiran Kumar Reddy Government. Reacting to the statement of PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana, he said that the committee would convince the Congress leaders that their government encouraged communalism in the State. 

Raheem Qureshi said the Committee's had discussed the incidents of communal disturbances that occurred across the State in its two meetings held earlier. Finally, he said that the religious leaders have decided to support the MIM after it pulled out of the UPA.