Telangana rumblings: 7 Congress MPs, a state minister, 7 MLAs quit

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Rumblings within Congress over its decision to form Telangana grew today with its seven MPs, a state minister and seven MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions quitting amid indications that some more are likely to follow suit.

However, the party apparently managed to dissuade four Union Ministers from resigning. HRD Minister Pallam Raju was one of them who offered to quit but was asked to stay on.

Upset over the party's decision taken on Tuesday, seven Congress MPs and four union ministers from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions held marathon meeting here late last night to evolve strategy against formation of Telangana decision.

The seven MPs -- six Lok Sabha members and a Rajya Sabha member -- then went to Parliament this morning and submitted their resignations.

The Lok Sabha members who put in their papers were A Sai Prathap (Rajampet constituency), Anantha Venkatarami Reddy (Anantapur) C V Harsha Kumar (Amalapuram-SC), Vundavalli Arun Kumar (Rajahmundry), Lagadapati Rajagopal (Vijayawada) and S P Y Reddy (Nandyal). They submitted their resignations to Lok Sabha Secretary General T K Vishwanathan.

The MPs said that three more Lok Sabha members from the state -- Sabbam Hari (Anakapalli), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (Ongole) and Rayapati Sambasiva Rao (Guntur) -- had also faxed their resignations. Congress has 31 members in the House from Andhra Pradesh.

Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao tendered his resignation to Rajya Sabha Secretary General Shamsher K Sheriff. Congress has 13 members in the Upper House.