Telanagana fallout: Resignations pour in, Cabinet thanks Sonia

Telanagana fallout: Resignations pour in, Cabinet thanks Sonia

Hyderabad: Even as 96 MLAs and 37 MLCs from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions cutting across party lines resigned today plunging Andhra Pradesh into a major political crisis, the state cabinet expressed solidarity with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government, which set in motion the process to carve out a separate Telangana state, in the wake of the fast-unto-death by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekar Rao.

The cabinet which met tonight under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K Rosaiah to discuss the fallout of the resignations by 56 MLAs from the ruling Congress, 29 MLAs from the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and 11 MLAs from the fledgling Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) of actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, expressed full confidence in UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress floor leader in the State Assembly J Geeta Reddy told reporters later. ''We will stand by whatever decision taken by the Congress High Command after examining various issues involved'', Home Minister P Sabita Reddy said.

''There is no question of the Congress central leadership directing the state Government to move House resolution without a consensus'', Health Minister D Nagaender added.

Unfazed by the political developments, senior TRS leader and former Minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy told mediapersons that the TRS was no way concerned about the development which had to be resolved only by the ruling Congress. On a day of swift political developments, the 96 MLAs submitted their resignation letters to State Assembly Speaker N Kirankumar Reddy, while thirty MLCS belonging to the Congress and seven MLCS of the TDP put in their papers to Council Chairman A Chakrapani.