Veteran Congress leader and President of India-elect Pranab Mukherjee is not against the formation of Telangana, as many leaders from the region feel. He, in fact, is of the view that it is better to grant Telangana state to end uncertainty in Andhra Pradesh.

This was the opinion expressed by senior Telangana leader and former Rajya Sabha member K Kesava Rao, who met Pranab after he was declared elected as President on Sunday.

Speaking to a television channel, Kesava Rao said Pranab expressed view that the Congress party would survive in the south only if the Telangana state was granted.

“Pranab expressed surprise over the change of stand taken by some parties after the Centre asked the State to pass a resolution in the assembly on Telangana. He reminded that the Congress Working Committee had taken a positive decision on Telangana and the same was accepted by the all-party meeting in the state,” he recalled.

Quoting Pranab Mukherjee, the Telangana Congress leader said there was no connection between the Gorkhaland issue and the Telangana.

“In fact, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is also in favour of Telangana. The time has come for the Centre to make an announcement. And no force on the earth can stop the Telangana formation,” Kesava Rao asserted.