Three Ministers in the Kiran Kumar Reddy Cabinet may meet Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan on Monday and submit their resignation letters to him to press their demand for Samaikyandhra.
Minister for Investment Ganta Srinivasa Rao told media persons in Visakhapatnam that apart from him, Erasu Pratap Reddy (Law) and Pinipe Viswaroop (Animal Husbandry) would submit their letters. “With the movement spreading to the nook and corner of the State and lakhs of people coming together in a small place like Kadiri, the decision on bifurcation has to be rolled back,” Mr. Rao asserted.
He recalled that 15 Ministers wrote to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on July 27, before the crucial Core Committee and CWC meeting, that they would quit if a decision to bifurcate the State was taken.
Soon after the CWC decision he had submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister. He met the Chief Minister again on Saturday and requested him to accept the resignation, it was learnt.
The Minister said he and his two Cabinet colleagues would submit fresh resignation letters to the Governor on Monday. Interestingly, Mr. Pratap Reddy turned incommunicado while sources close to Mr. Viswaroop said he had not made up his mind. It was Mr. Pratap Reddy who had voiced his concern at bifurcation and demanded that if the Centre was determined to go ahead with its decision, it should consider merging Kurnool and Anantapur in Telangana. With regard to Mr. Viswaroop, there is talk that he may quit after getting positive signals from the YSR Congress.
Congress circles admit that many ruling party legislators and Ministers are unable to move in their constituencies because of the backlash against division of the State. The statements emanating from the high command backing division have only landed the local leaders in an embarrassing situation.
