FDI issue: 'Mollified' Telangana MPs decide to vote for the govt

After boycotting a meeting called by party leaders, sulking Telangana Congress MPs on Wednesday decided to participate in the FDI vote in Lok Sabha after the government decided to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the contentious statehood issue.

The MPs, who have been openly speaking against the party and the government for not taking a decision on the Telangana issue, also decided to vote in favour of the government in Lok Sabha when the FDI issue is put to vote.

"We will participate in the debate and in the voting," Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar Ponnam Prabhakar told PTI. He said the seven MPs, who boycotted a meeting called by Congress floor leaders in Parliament on Tuesday, welcomed the government's move to convene an all-party meeting on December 28 to discuss the statehood issue.

The MPs softened their stand only after the meeting was called. Yesterday they had given indications that they would even consider skipping the vote on FDI issue to register their protest. Tuesday's meeting was called by Home Minister and Leader of Lok Sabha Sushilkumar Shinde and parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath.

Some of the MPs had also met TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday, embarrasing the party. The seven MPs are Ponnam Prabhakar, G Vivekanad, Rajaiah, M Jagganath, Rajgopal Reddy and Gutta Sukhender Reddy.