Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh on Thursday plunged into political chaos after at least 93 legislators and many MPs - cutting across party lines - resigned to protest the Central Government`s decision to carve out a separate Telangana state.
Assembly Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy told reporters that 93 legislators from Rayalaseema and Andhra regions and belonging to three parties had submitted their resignations to him.
"As many as 53 legislators of the ruling Congress, 29 of the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and 11 of the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) have submitted their resignation," he said.
Revolt in Congress
The Congress party in Andhra Pradesh is facing an open revolt by its MPs and MLAs over High Command`s decision to give into the demand for a separate Telangana state. As per reports, five Congress MPs along with 30 MLAs have resigned.
Besides the Congress, 29 TDP MLAs and 11 Praja Rajyam MLAs have also resigned.
The confirmed names from the Congress are that of Congress MP from Vijayawada, Lagadapati Rajagopal and MLAs JC Diwakar Reddy, DL Ravindra and Jogi Ramesh.
While Diwakar Reddy represents Tadipatri Assembly
constituency in the backward Anantapur district, Ravindra
Reddy is from Mydukuru in Kadapa district of Rayalaseema.
According to an agency source, L Rajagopal met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar this morning in Delhi and is understood to have conveyed his decision to quit from the House. He then left for Hyderabad vowing to fight for unified Andhra.
The MLAs have strongly decried the Congress High
Command`s "unilateral decision" to initiate the process for
bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
"This decision is very painful for us. Lakhs of poeple
from other regions of the state have come to Hyderabad in
search of livelihood. What would be their fate if the state is
split," P Venkatramaya, a Congress legislator from Krishna
district, said.
The opposition Telegu Desam Party (TDP) and Praja Rajyam Party MLAs are openly joining hands with the Congress dissenters to oppose the Centre’s move to create Telangana.
IANS
