Congress legislators opposing AP division to meet President

HYDERABAD: Congress legislators from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions plan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee as part of their efforts to voice opposition to the division of Andhra Pradesh.

Faced with protests in the two regions in the wake of Centre setting in motion the process of bifurcation, Congress MLAs and MLCs from Seemandhra held a meeting here today to discuss their future course of action.

Talking to reporters later, Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath, Convener of Seemandhra MLAs and MLCs Forum, said they would meet the President and senior party leaders in Delhi.

He said they would meet AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, in-charge of party affairs in AP, to apprise him of the ongoing united Andhra agitation in Seemandhra and feelings of Congress activists in the two regions, and also to deliberate on the party's position on the issue.

The ruling Congress is widely expected to be at the receiving end of backlash in Seemandhra over the decision to divide Andhra Pradesh, which will face Assembly election next year along with Lok Sabha polls.