Hyderabad: Minister D. Sridhar Babu who was deeply upset with his abrupt ouster from the legislative affairs portfolio on New Year’s eve, resigned on Thursday.
He sent his resignation letter to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy through his personal staff late on Thursday night. Earlier in the day, Sridhar Babu had met AICC secretary Ramachandra Kunthia along with ministers K. Jana Reddy and B. Saraiah.
All the three told him not to resign. Clearly unable to digest the Chief Minister’s decision, Sridhar Babu later discussed the matter with party workers and district leaders. Perhaps bolstered by their advice, Sridhar Babu subsequently sent his resignation letter to the CM.
Kunthia had come to the city on his way to Mahbubnagar to flag off the Indiramma bus yatra of Congress MP V. Hanumantha Rao.
Meanwhile, Telangana and Seemandhra Congress leaders continued their war of words over the ouster of Sridhar Babu for the second day. Karimnagar Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar said that if Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy were to come to Karimnagar, they would “shoot down down the helicopter in the air itself.”
Sridhar Babu row triggers word war
Telangana and Seemandhra Congress leaders continued their war of words for the second day. Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar warned Kiran Kumar Reddy that his helicopter would be shot in the air if he came to Karimnagar.
Speaking to the media at Karimnagar on Thursday, Prabhakar opposed the Chief Minister’s visit to Karimnagar on January 5 to inaugurate the Ellampalli project. He said that the Chief Minister had no right to tour the Telangana region. He criticised the move to divest the Legislative Affairs portfolio from Sridhar Babu as an indication of the stubbornness of Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Former minister and MLA Komatireddy Venkata Reddy also criticised the Chief Minister and said that he was trying to provocate the Telangana people. He asked the Telangana ministers not to continue in Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Cabinet.
Speaking to the media, Seemandhra minister T.G. Venkatesh said if Telangana ministers were not interested in continuing in the Cabinet they should resign before criticising the Chief Minister.
