Knowing fully well the firm stand taken by the Congress high command that it would not go back on the decision to divide the State, Ministers and legislators from Seemandhra chose to resign their posts and membership of the Assembly, mainly to escape the wrath of the violent protesters.
Perturbed by the near total shutdown and widespread protests in 13 districts from the students and youth besides civil society organisations, over a dozen Ministers and large number of MLAs and MLCs attended a meeting at the Ministers Club House on Thursday.
“Public reaction is severe and we cannot go to the constituencies. The available option for us to resign and instil a sense of confidence in the people that Congress leaders too share the hurt feelings of Seemandhra people,” said a senior leader at the meeting.
There was near unanimity among them that they should resign and also force the Union Ministers and MPs to follow suit. Some leaders remarked that the TDP and the YSR Congress were instigating people and throwing the blame on the Congress party for dividing the state. “We have to clear the air and explain to them that it was the TDP and the YSR Congress which are responsible for the present crisis,” a senior Minister remarked at the meeting.
Interestingly, after the meeting, some Ministers – Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, Parthasarathy, Ahmedullah, Pithani Satyanarayana and Balaraju -- met separately and decided against resigning their posts as the decision was taken by none other than the high command. Addressing reporters, Minister for School Education S. Sailajanath said all the legislators and Ministers had unanimously resolved to quit their posts and membership. “MLAs and MLCs will meet the presiding officers and tender their resignations, the Ministers will meet the Chief Minister and express their decision to keep away from duties,” he said. The meeting also passed a resolution urging Union Ministers and MPs from Seemandhra to sacrifice their posts for the cause of united AP. The Minister said the situation was deteriorating as people were highly agitated.