Andhra parties split over Telangana, 60 MLAs quit

Hyderabad: Centre's decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana on Thursday created ripples in political parties in Andhra Pradesh with as many as 60 legislators and three MLCs from the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Praja Rajya Party submitting their resignation to the Speaker.

All the MLAs who submitted resignations belong to coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the state.

However, Assembly Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy is yet to accept their resignations.

The Congress has 158 out of the 294 seats in the Assembly with just 10-seat majority.

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 in the Assembly.

Telugu Desam MLA P Raghunatha Reddy said they resigned from their posts as the Congress took a unilateral decision to move a motion in the state Assembly for the formation of Telangana state.

TDP MLC N Rajkumari, who also announced her decision to quit, claimed that about 20 legislators have expressed their readiness to quit but party President Chandrababu Naidu has asked them to wait.

"The Centre's decision to give separate Telangana is being described as a gift given by Sonia Gandhi on her birthday. Is the state a cake to be cut into pieces and distributed," Rajkumari asked.

In more trouble for the Congress Lagadapati Rajagopal, party MP from Vijayawada, also resigned on Thursday morning to protest against the Centre's decision to form a Telengana state.

Sources in the Congress told PTI said Rajagopal met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Thursday morning and is understood to have conveyed his decision to quit from the House. He then left for Hyderabad vowing to fight for unified Andhra.

Andhra Congress sources also said some more MPs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region will resign in protest against the decision.

They also said Congress MPs will meet on Thursday and decide their future course of action.

A TDP Rajya Sabha MP Mysora Reddy also resigned protesting against Telangana.