Hyderabad, Nov 26 (IANS): Members of Parliament belonging to Congress party from Telangana have set Dec 9 as the deadline for the party leadership to make an announcement for separate statehood to the region.

The MPs announced their decision late Sunday night after a meeting at the residence of Manda Jagannatham here. Besides Jagannatham, Madhu Yaskhi, G. Vivek and three other MPs attended the meeting. Senior leader and former MP K. Keshava Rao was also present.

Jagannatham told reporters after the meeting that if the leadership failed to make an announcement by Dec 9, they would be forced to take a key decision. He also warned that the Congress party would have no future in the region.

The MP said the resounding success of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) meeting at Suryapet Sunday should be an eye-opener for those who are claiming that Telangana movement has weakened.

The meeting was held amid speculations that the MPs may join TRS.

The Congress MPs from the region are not attending winter session of Parliament. They staged protest at the Parliament House Thursday and Friday.

On Dec 9, 2009, the Centre had announced that the process for formation of Telangana state would be initiated but later put it on hold to evolve a consensus.