Congress Legislators to resign on July 4 for T

In perhaps one of the most significant developments in the fight for separate Telangana statehood, Congress Legislators from the region on Friday announced that they would resign from their posts to build pressure on the Centre to make a decision on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to media persons after emerging out of a crucial meeting of Congress Legislators from Telangana held at the Gandhi Centenary Hall, Exhibition Grounds in Nampally, senior leader and Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy stated that the party leaders from Telangana have decided to resign from their elected posts on July 4 for the cause of Telangana statehood.

Revealing details, Mr Jana Reddy said that the decision to set July 4 as the deadline for the Congress Legislators was unanimously adopted at the meeting.

“The Congress leaders have unanimously taken the decision to submit their resignations from their elected posts en masse. This decision has been taken as the Centre has failed to stand by the December 9, 2009 statement made by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram,” Mr Jana Reddy said.

He added that the party leaders from Telangana would submit their resignations to Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar in the state and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in New Delhi on July 4 at 11 AM.

“The Legislators would insist that the respective Speakers accept the resignations,” the Panchayat Raj Minister said.

Mr Jana Reddy added that the Telangana leaders took this decision as they felt that their posts were not as important as fulfilling people’s aspirations.

“We are for fulfilling the people’s aspirations and posts are not important for us,” he said.

“The decision of the party leaders from Telangana leaders will remove misconceptions among a section of people that Congress leaders are holding on to the posts for power and are not working for the separate statehood,” Mr Jana Reddy pointed out.

He asked the Central government to, “Either accept our resignations or announce Telangana state”.

Reiterating Mr Jana Reddy’s words, MP Ponnam Prabhakhar stated that the MPs will submit their resignations to Lok Sabha Speaker on July 4.

He said that people of region will not forgive them if they did not resign to their posts and fulfil their aspirations of a separate state.

Rajya Sabha Member K Kesava Rao expressed regrets that the Chief Minister had not expressed dismay at the deaths of 600 students who committed suicides for the cause of Telangana.

Ministers D K Aruna, Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah,  Sridhar Babu, Komati Reddy Venkatreddy, Basavaraju Saraiah, R Venkat Reddy and J Geetha Reddy attended the meeting.

MPs Ponnam Prabhakar G Vivek, Manda Jagannatham, G Sukhender Reddy, Komatireddy Rajagopal, K Rajaiah and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao were too present.