Congress leaders of Telangana region to meet Sonia Gandhi

After humiliating defeat in the recent byelections in Andhra Pradesh, Congress party leaders from Telangana region are planning to meet party president Sonia Gandhi in the next few days.

"All Congress leaders from Telangana are committed to separate state demand. Sonia Gandhi is presently out of the country. She is in the US. We will meet her either tomorrow or day after tomorrow," K Keshav Rao, a senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member, told reporters in Hyderabad.

The leader said he met Congress MPs from non-Telangana regions in the state in a bid to persuade them to agree to the separate statehood demand.

Keshav Rao, who did not favour the Congress contesting the byelections, said the sentiment in favour of separate Telangana is very strong in the region.

"Hindi-speaking people live in five different states in the country. Similarly, we can live as one large Telugu family in two separate states. Family would remain. But let our culture and traditions be respected," he said.

Meanwhile, several Congress leaders, including minsters and MPs, met party's state unit president D Srinivas who lost from Nizamabad in the byelections held for 12 assembly seats after MLAs in Telangana region resigned in support of separate statehood demand.

Some leaders said Srinivas need not quit as PCC president as the Congress lost the elections due to the "Telangana sentiment" and not because of any inefficiency on his part.

TRS retained all 11 seats it contested and BJP retained one.