22 Ministers quit?

Hyderabad, Dec 12: Twenty-two ministers hailing from Coastal and Rayalaseema Regions on Saturday threatened to quit the Council of Ministers headed by K Rosaiah deepening the crisis triggered by the stir for Telangana statehood.Protesting against the UPA Government’s decision to carve out a separate Telangana state, the 22 ministers from the coastal and Rayalaseema Regions attended a meeting on Saturday afternoon at Taj Hotel here.Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Anam Ramnarayana Reddy said they decided to quit the Cabinet in deference to the people's sentiments and the pressure mounted on them following the spate of resignations by the MLAs.

Revenue Minister Dharmanna Prasada Rao, Endowments Minister Gade Venkata Reddy and Minister for Housing Shilpa Mohan Reddy representing their ministerial colleagues went to the Chief Minister to convey the dissention of their colleagues.Reddy said all the ministers will stand by their decision and respect the people's sentiments.The ministers urged the people to agitate peacefully without destroying public or private property. They also warned those, who take the law into their hands, would be punished. They also admitted that some vested interest people and hoodlooms were behind the destructions and vandalism indulged in in during the recent Telangana agitation. However, the Government would deal with them very sternly. The group of ministers urged the people against causing any loss to RTC buses or public property.Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Rosaiah refused to comment on the regnations of the 22 Ministers stating he was not aware of the move. .