Chiranjeevi writes to Sonia, asks his resignation be accepted

HYDERABAD: Alleging that the views of Seemandhra people did not get reflected in Union Cabinet's nod to formation of Telangana state, Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi today asked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to see that his resignation from the post, submitted earlier, is accepted.

"I am pained with the sequence of events in the process of bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh. I am also hurt that the Seemandhra people's views have not been reflected nor have their aspirations being met with the recent Cabinet resolution," he said in a letter to Gandhi.

He said it was extremely difficult for him to discharge his ministerial duties with such "a heavy heart and a burdened conscience".

"Since I have already tendered my resignation to the Hon'ble Prime Minister on October 4, 2013, I request you, as Chairperson of UPA, to kindly have my resignation accepted at the earliest with immediate effect.

"I thank your good self for the confidence and responsibility bestowed on me, which I have tried my best to discharge fully," he said.

It may be recalled that Chiranjeevi had demanded that Hyderabad should be made a Union Territory to address the concerns of Seemandhra people about bifurcation.

The Union Cabinet approved the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill last evening.