AICC urges restraint as Telangana ministers criticise Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy

HYDERABAD: Ministers from Andhra Pradesh's Telangana region, who criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for changing the portfolio of a minister, met with AICC functionary RC Khuntia.

AP Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy and others, who slammed Kiran yesterday after D Sridhar Babu, who belongs to Telangana region, was divested of his legislative affairs portfolio, held talks with Khuntia, who looks after Congress affairs in the state, party sources said.

Khuntia is understood to have advised Telangana leaders to observe restraint. He was here to attend a meeting at Amanagal in Mahabubnagar district today where Congress MP V Hanumantha Rao began his tour to thank Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for "granting" Telangana.

The AP CM's move to divest Sridhar Babu of the legislative affairs portfolio just days before the state legislature was to take up debate on the draft Telangana Bill, kicked up a political storm with ministers from Telangana region raising objections.