Telangana MLAs may resign

HYDERABAD - At least 11 members of the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly have said that they may resign either today or tomorrow if the Centre does not resolve the Telangana issue to their satisfaction.

Andhra Pradesh Sports Minister K V Reddy has resigned from his post; a day after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram announced the Centre’s halt to the process of creation of Telangana.

Ministers belonging to the Telangana region are expected to gather in the chamber of Information Minister Geetha Reddy, and then meet Chief Minister K Rosaiah to inform him of their decision to resign as well.

Earlier, cutting across party lines, sixty-one MLAs belonging to the Telangana region submitted their resignations to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy in protest against a delay in the process for the formation of the Telangana State.

Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily as reported to have told an English daily; “We have not reconsidered the decision or put the issue on the back burner. There is no question of going back.”

But Moily was clear over the point that Telangana cannot be formed overnight, as the Central Government wanted to involve all stakeholders.n Delhi, disappointed over Chidambaram’s statement, 11 Congress MPs belonging to the Telangana region have faxed their resignations to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had made a brief statement on Wednesday night saying wide ranging consultations would be held to come out with a final solution on Telangana.

Displeased over Chidambaram’s statements, the eleven MPs met at the Andhra Bhavan on Thursday to decide upon their strategy. Chidambaram had earlier on December 9 assured the people belonging to the Telangana region that talks are on for the formation of the Telangana state.

On Thursday, Andhra Pradesh was on the boil after the Central Government put on hold its decision to initiate the process for the formation of the Telangana State. In response, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), which is leading the movement for a separate State of Telangana had called for a 48-hour shutdown beginning Thursday.

Additional police reinforcements had been called in to control the situation arising out of the shutdown.

here was immense protest at Osmania University during the 48-hour shutdown.

The police had to use tear gas to disperse the mob. The protestors were even lathi-charged by the police later.

The shutdown was later called off due to Christmas. (ANI)