HYDERABAD, NOV. 14. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) delegation said on Sunday that it was elated at the response of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to its request for Statehood to Telangana. "We will definitely fulfil our promise" was how Dr. Singh was said to have reacted when the delegation called on him at Raj Bhavan.

K. Yadagiri Reddy, chief coordinator of TRS, who led the delegation, later told reporters that the Prime Minister was emphatic in his reply.Dr. Singh also conveyed to them the inability of the TRS president and Union Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, to accompany him on the visit due to indisposition. The delegation submitted a memorandum seeking inclusion of Medak, Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts in the National Food For Work (NFFW) programme.

TDP disappointed

On the other hand, a Telugu Desam delegation said it was disappointed at the Prime Minister's response to its request for rollback of petroleum prices and inclusion of more districts in the State under the NFFW programme. The delegation called on the Prime Minister wearing black badges after holding a demonstration near NTR statue at Rasoolpura.

The TDP MP, C. Ramachandraiah, and the deputy leader of the party in Assembly, T. Devender Gowd, told reporters that Dr. Singh did not accept their advice to use the sales tax and customs and excise duty realisations on petrol, diesel and LPG to provide Government subsidy to oil companies. The TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, did not join his party's delegation.

..Hindu