Seemandhra Congress MPs seek President's intervention on Telangana issue

NEW DELHI: A delegation of rebel Congress MPs from Seemandhra who gave a notice to move a no-confidence motion against the UPA government today sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention in preventing the division of Andhra Pradesh.

Interestingly, a memorandum presented to Mukherjee had the signatures of three other Congress Lok Sabha members MPs, besides the six rebel parliamentarians from Seemandhra region.

However, when contacted, one of the three MPs clarified that he was against the no-confidence motion.

Ananthapur Lok Sabha member Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, who signed the memorandum, said he differed with the idea of no-confidence motion since it was a deviation from the core issue.

"Along with two other MPs, namely Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy and Bapi Raju, I have signed in the memorandum to draw the attention of the President over bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. But, as far as the issue of no-confidence motion is concerned, I will not support it," Reddy, whose constituency falls in Seemandhra region, told PTI.

Reddy further claimed that two other MPs have also not given their consent for no-confidence motion. "To my knowledge, none of us (three MPs) favour the no-confidence motion," he stressed.

Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy and Bapi Raju could not be reached for their comments.

The memorandum requested the President to uphold the established practise and convention while dividing a state and ascertain views of the state by obtaining the consent of the state legislature before recommending the Telangana draft bill.