Sonia Gandhi holds parleys on Andhra Pradesh

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today held deliberations with leaders from Andhra Pradesh on ways and means to strengthen the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the state.

Gandhi held separate consultations with Union minister S Jaipal Reddy and PCC chief D Sreenivas, both of whom hail from Telangana region of the state.

Gandhi's meetings assumed significance as the Congress leadership was discussing the issue of a deputy chief minister from Telangana to assuage the feelings of the people from the area.

A senior woman minister from Telangana region J Geetha Reddy, a key contender for Deputy Chief Minister's post, had met Gandhi here yesterday.

The consultations were held a day after the party's core group meeting decided to rally firmly behind the Reddy government as the party prepares to face the Telangana issue after Justice Sreekrishna committee submits its report on the statehood issue by this month-end.