Sonia calls Kodanda to Speed up ‘Telangana Issue’?

Congress High Command appears to be working on the Telangana issue with a sense of urgency. According to reports, the Telangana Political JAC convener Prof. Kodandaram was invited by the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for talks to Delhi. As this is the first time that the teacher-turned-agitator was called by Sonia Gandhi, political observers feel it could be to take a final call on state bifurcation.

Sonia Gandhi has been so far discussing the Telangana issue only with political leaders. Now she wants to involve the intellectuals and other players engaged in the fight for the statehood also. It is in this context that she called Kodandaram who has been spearheading the movement, say sources. It is learnt that the former PCC chief D Srinivas played a key role in involving the JAC in the consultation process.

It may be mentioned here that the Congress High Command has sent positive signals on the Telangana issue through its emissary Digvijay Singh recently. During Digvijay’s Hyderabad visit, Kodandaram met him and had a long discussion. Sonia’s invitation to Kodanda is being considered a follow-up to the talks Digvijay had with Kodandaram.

It is learnt that Sonia Gandhi was of the view that by involving the JAC and other people’s organizations apart from the political parties, the effort would gain the  trust of the people. Kodandaram who is in Delhi in connection with the Roundtable organized by the JAC, is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi in a day or two.