The leaders, however, decided not to make it an issue in the AICC plenary meeting tomorrow as they do not want to put the party leaders in an embarrassing situation.
Stepping up pressure on party high command for Telangana, Congress leaders from the region today met at urban development minister Jaipal Reddy's residence in Delhi and decided to submit a memorandum to party chief Sonia Gandhi demanding the separate statehood tomorrow.
The leaders, however, decided not to make it an issue in the AICC plenary meeting tomorrow as they do not want to put the party leaders in an embarrassing situation.
Asked whether the matter would be raised at the plenary meeting, party MP Sarvey Sathyanarayana said, "No, we don't want to put our party and leaders in an embarrassing situation. But we will bring it to the notice of the honorable president... leader Gandhi.
"And we will submit a memorandum, saying that we very much want a separate state... people of Telangana want that."
He said the memorandum would be submitted tomorrow.
"We will seek an appointment (with Gandhi), give our representation on behalf of all our leaders including ministers," he said.
The decision was taken at an "informal meeting" of about 60 Congress leaders including ministers in Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, MPs, MLAs and AICC members from the region.
The meeting also assume significance as Justice Srikrishna commission, appointed by the Centre to study the issue, is expected to submit its report on December 31.
Sathyanarayana said an opinion has been formed in the meeting that "in case there is any lacuna" in the report and anything against Telangana formation, then they would reject it because "findings of the commission are not binding."
"It is not necessary that we should fall in line with the findings of the commission. If the commission says separate Telangana creation is imminent, we will accept it. If they go against the demand for a separate statehood for Telangana, then we will totally reject it and we will not take the commission into confidence at all," he said.
Expressing optimism that the commission "may not give report against" a separate statehood, the Lok Sabha MP said, "Even if the report is against us, the UPA government will not come with a statement saying that we accept that report which is against Telangana formation," as it is the agenda of the Congress party and its working committee.
He recalled the promise made in the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA-1 and the president's address to Parliament that "at appropriate time, appropriate action will be taken on formation of separate state."
Meanwhile, the Telangana Congress leaders slammed the Andhra Pradesh DGP's reported remark that strong action would be taken against those who create trouble in the state after submission of the report.
"DGP has no business to issue such statements, which plays with the sentiments of the people of Telangana. It is like a warning, it is like a threat to create fear psychosis among people of Telangana," Sathyanarayana said.
He said the party would take up the issue with Sonia Gandhi and state chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.
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