New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Monday gave an assurance that ‘a forward movement’ on the Telangana statehood demand will be made after Eid-ul-Zuha on Nov 7.

The home minister’s statement came a day after three Congress legislators from Andhra Pradesh quit the party to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) over the statehood issue.

‘The (Congress) general secretary in-charge and the minister (Ghulam Nabi Azad) has told the groups that this is the festival season — Diwali and then the Eid – and let the two festivals pass. We can expect a movement towards a decision to take place immediately after Eid,’ Chidambaram said after presenting his ministry’s monthly report card for October.

In a setback for the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh Sunday, three of its legislators from the Telangana region had quit the party and joined the TRS.

Accusing the Congress of going back on its word on carving out a separate Telangana state, Jupally Krishna Rao, S. Satyanarayana and T. Rajaiah resigned from the party.

The legislators criticised Congress president Sonia Gandhi, blaming her for the suicides of scores of Telangana supporters and the prevailing uncertainty in the region.