Congress will try to capitalise on Telangana issue

The Congress is trying to devise a political strategy to capitalise on the ongoing agitation in Andhra Pradesh, for a separate Telengana state, and defuse the pressure on the state government regarding the issue.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the revival of the Committee on Telengana, which was constituted during the United Progressive Alliance's first term but was subsequently abandoned. The Centre may announce the revival of the committee on Monday to pacify pro-Telangana agitators in AP.

Home Minister P Chidambaram and National Security Adviser M K Narayanan
have kept a close watch on the developments in Hyderabad.

The Congress' primary target is to restore peace in Hyderabad and Telangana, as the current spate of protests and violence may cast its shadow on the Andhra Pradesh assembly session, which is beginning on Monday.

The Congress may also ask the party's Members of Parliament to raise the Telengana issue in both Houses of the Parliament, before opposition parties get a chance to do so.

Congress MP Jaganmohan Reddy and former Union minister P Shiv Shankar have held meetings with Law Minister Veerappa Moily, who is in-charge of the party's affairs in AP, to discuss a solution to the crisis.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary G K Pillai and Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Mathur have been keeping a check on the law and order situation in the state on the basis of inputs from the state police chief and IB officials in Hyderabad.