Telangana Congress MPs got a dressing down from Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for disrupting the proceedings of the Lok Sabha on Telangana issue.The ruling Congress which was being buffeted by the Opposition on rising prices could not take the belligerent attitude of the Congress MPs and wanted them to behave themselves. Pranab Mukherjee, who summoned them to his chambers after the session was adjourned for the day, pulled them up asking why they were causing embarrassment to the Congress and that if they continued to behave the same way, he may have to suspend them. The MPs, according to sources, tried to tell the Union minister that unless the Centre takes a decision in favour of Telangana state, it would be difficult for them to move in their constituencies and at least in the interest of the party, a decision has to be taken at the earliest. Pranab reportedly told them that as the party leadership is seized of the issue, they should be patient and not talk about it. The party would take a decision at an appropriate time, he said.

Later speaking to newsmen, the MPs denied Pranab taking them to task.Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar said:"If Pranab Mukherjee raised the pitch of his voice against us, we too did the same thing and made our point clear that Telangana should be delivered at any cost. He wanted us to stop our protests forthwith. But we told him in the same breath that we would not stop our agitation. We told him that every morning we will decide what should be the form of protest for the day and then implement it in the House."Prabhakar said the MPs had once again brought it to the notice of the Union minister how badly people of Telangana region were looking for a separate state and that any delay would cause irreparable damage to the party.Manda Jagannadham said they had already forewarned the Congress that they would stall the proceedings of the House. "What we want is that the party should keep its December 2009 promise of delivering a separate state," he said.