New Delhi: Upset over the UPA government's decision to create Telangana, seven Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh on Friday resigned from Parliament, with indications that some more were likely to follow the suit soon.
The MPs, 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).
While these MPs tendered their resignations to Lok Sabha Secretary General T K Vishwanathan, the lone Upper House member, KVP Ramachandra Rao, submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Secretary General Shamsher K Sheriff.
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.
The MPs claimed that Union Ministers from Andhra Pradesh would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister on Saturday and then tender their resignations.
They said that they had sought an appointment with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. As per norms, Speaker, who has to accept their resignations, has to be satisfied that they had taken the step on their own free will and not under duress.
The resignations came a day after Congress Union Ministers and some MPs from Andhra Pradesh held a meeting at the residence of KVP Ramachandra Rao on late Thursday night.
At the meeting, the Union Ministers are understood to have counselled the MPs not to resign saying that after the Congress high-command's decision on Telangana formation, it would focus on Andhra's future development.
However, the MPs felt that the situation has still not gone out of hand and by tendering their resignations, they can force the government to hold back its decision.
Some of them were also of the view that the issue could be raised effectively in Parliament by stalling its proceedings when the Monsoon Session begins from Monday.
Protests continue unabated over state division
The coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions continued to simmer on Friday with protests continuing unabated over the Congress' decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
Rallies, human chains, sit-ins and other forms of protest were a common sight in towns across the two regions though the situation remained by and large peaceful, except a few incidents of intervention by security forces.
Reports of public transport and private vehicles being set ablaze and damage to property and desecration of statues of some national leaders came in from districts like Vizianagaram, Chittoor, Guntur among others.
State-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses were prevented from plying and the protesters organized road blockades at several places.
Educational institutions and commercial establishments remained closed at several places as the pro-united Andhra supporters observed a shut down.
A report from Vijayawada said united Andhra supporters, who have been agitating on the issue for the past few days, would form human chains at Ramavarappadu Ring. The Electricity Department employees were also preparing to lead a rally in the city.
In Krishna district, educational institutions were closed at Machilipatnam, Jaggaihpet and Nuziveed and also in many other small towns. The APSRTC employees there also decided to join the agitation.
A report from Kadapa said some Congress and TDP leaders were organizing a rally in Jammulamadugu division against the division of the state.
In Anantapur district, the agitating students demanded ministers to resign from their posts and join the protest. Doctors and nurses organized a peaceful rally in support of united state. Some youths set tyres on fire on roads in Old Town area of Anantapur as a mark of protest.
All government-run and private buses kept away from the roads on Friday while petrol pumps were also found closed after serving a few hours last night.
