Differences among the members of the Telangana Telugu Desam Forum saw their bid to corner Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu into giving his nod for the formation of a separate Telangana wing fail on Monday.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of a meeting with Mr Naidu at his residence, TTDP Forum convenor Nagam Janardhan Reddy on Monday stated that the Forum would work for Telangana state formation by staying within the Telugu Desam Party.
Mr Janardhan Reddy quoted Mr Naidu as telling him to fight for Telangana through the Forum by remaining in the party.
The meeting, which lasted for about three hours, saw the Telangana leaders discussing their main demand of establishing a separate wing for the region to coordinate the separate statehood issue fight with Mr Naidu.
However, with Telangana leader M Narasimhulu opposing the demand, Mr Naidu seized on the opening and put the issue under hold. He asked the TTDP Forum leaders to sink the differences among themselves and then approach him with the demand of a separate wing.
The TDP chief is believed to have also told the Telangana leaders to grill the state government and Centre on rising prices of essential commodities.
Mr Janardhan Reddy revealed that Mr Naidu had also told him to direct the TDP rank and file to intensify their agitation for Telangana at Mandal and district levels in the region immediately.
The Telangana face of the TDP also revealed that Mr Naidu demanded that party leaders mount pressure on the Centre demanding introduction of Telangana Bill in the Budget Session of Parliament.
Mr Janardhan Reddy also said that the party would announce its strategy on staging dharnas in New Delhi over Telangana issue before the start of the Budget Session of Parliament in February.