TRS chief to meet PM, Swaraj over Telangana row

Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao and a delegation of the Telangana political Joint Action Committee on Friday left for Delhi to press for an early decision in favour of a separate Telangana state.

The delegation will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other important leaders including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Rao told reporters.

"The general strike in the region has entered its 18th day today. It has been peaceful. But the state government is trying to make it violent. The attacks on TRS MLAs Harish, Rama Rao and Swamy Goud (a pro-Telangana employees union leader) in the last three-four days prove this. We are going to Delhi to explain the situation here to the prime minister and other important leaders like Sushma Swaraj," he said.

The BJP supports the demand for a separate Telangana state.

"We will request the prime minister to take an early decision on Telangana," he said.

The TRS president has vowed to continue the present agitation till the demand is met.

The 'sakala janula samme' (strike by all sections of people) has badly affected normal life in the region.