Senior Cong leaders meet KK

Former Pradesh Congress Committee leader K Keshavarao on Saturday met Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar, Rajayya, former minister Jeevan Reddy.

 The senior leaders' meeting with K Keshavrao in the wake of the results of the byelections in Talangana region assumes significance.

 The failure of the leadership to motivate the cadre in the byelections, the resignation of Pradesh Congress Committee chief D Srinivas and the implications of the byelection impact on the party are believed to have been discussed at the closed door confabulations, party sources said.

 A few leaders like MP Ananta Venkatrami Reddy found no reason why the party leadership should sulk over the poll results. He said the elections only proved the vigorous demand for the Telangana statehood movement. The byelections should not be seen as the party's failure altogether, he suggested.

 The Congress Party, which continued to grapple with divisions in its ranks over the Telangana issue was evident by the pall of gloom spread over the party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan since Friday evening.

 Keshav Rao has been stating time and again that there would be no compromise on separate statehood and the Congress leadership was seized of the matter. The party leaders are also prepared to sacrifice or go to any extent for the cause.

 Rao, who is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge of Jharkhand, told reporters here that the people of Telangana have sent a very clear message to the Government on the need for a separate state.  There would be no compromise on Telangana, he suggested.