Congress buys temporary peace with party MPs from Telangana

The Congress on Wednesday appears to have bought temporary peace with partymen from Andhra Pradesh who have been demanding in the Lok Sabha formation of a separate Telangana state since the commencement of the budget session of Parliament.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad told reporters that party MPs had a meeting with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the leader of the Lok Sabha, during which the government assured them to take up the matter after presentation of the union budget on February 28.

"After the presentation the budget on February 28, senior leaders will talk to the MPs and the matter will be discussed," he said adding that political secretary to Congress secretary Ahmed Patel was also present during the talks.

Congress MPs from Telangana had threatened to commit suicide in Parliament premises if their demand for separate state is not met and insisted that they will not allow the Lok Sabha to function till the prime minister makes a statement on the issue.

Taken aback by the MPs' agitation, law minister M Veerappa Moily said they should create an atmosphere of "trust" and not "confrontation" to ensure that a solution is found.