Andhra Congress leader G Venkataswamy takes back anti-Sonia comments

Hyderabad : A day after demanding Sonia Gandhi?s resignation as the party chief, Andhra Pradesh Congress leader G Venkataswamy on Wednesday withdrew his comments.

Going back on his comments, he said the words were prompted by his concern for the party?s mass base in the state.

?I had to make those comments because I was worried that party may suffer in Telangana region. I am ready to withdraw all comments…I request her (Gandhi) for separate Telangana,? Venkataswamy said.

Claiming of massive following in the Telangana region, the Congress leader said party workers will form new outfit, called Telangana Congress, if Venkataswamy were to be expelled.

Venkataswamy?s son G Vivek is a Congress MP.

His outburst was triggered after he was dropped from the Congress Working Committee.

Venkataswamy, hitting out at Sonia Gandhi, had said on Tuesday that the party was losing support due to escalating corruption and inflation under Gandhi.

He also raked up Gandhi?s foreign origin issue, supporting an Indian, who has risen from the grass roots level, for the post of Congress president.