Protest over Telangana: Chiranjeevi writes to Sonia, asks his resignation be accepted; other MPs to follow

Hyderabad: Alleging that the views of Seemandhra people did not get reflected in Union Cabinet's nod to formation of Telangana state, Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi on Friday asked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to see that his resignation from the post, submitted earlier, is accepted.

Sources said the actor-turned-politician may announce his resignation in Rajya Sabha.

Kiran, co to join hands with other parties to stop AP split

"I am pained with the sequence of events in the process of bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh. I am also hurt that the Seemandhra people's views have not been reflected nor have their aspirations being met with the recent Cabinet resolution," he said in a letter to Gandhi.

He said it was extremely difficult for him to discharge his ministerial duties with such "a heavy heart and a burdened conscience".

"Since I have already tendered my resignation to the Hon'ble Prime Minister on October 4, 2013, I request you, as Chairperson of UPA, to kindly have my resignation accepted at the earliest with immediate effect.

"I thank your good self for the confidence and responsibility bestowed on me, which I have tried my best to discharge fully," he said.

It may be recalled that Chiranjeevi had demanded that Hyderabad should be made a Union Territory to address the concerns of Seemandhra people about bifurcation. The Union Cabinet approved the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill Thursday evening. 

11 Cong MPs from Seemandhra may press for acceptance of their resignation

New Delhi: With the Union Cabinet approving the division of Andhra Pradesh, 11 Congress MPs from Seemandhra region, including four central ministers, are likely to press for acceptance of their resignations.

The MPs are likely to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday. "We have lost everything. Literally, we wanted to quit from Parliament," Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, representing Guntur Lok Sabha constituency, told PTI.

He said Seemandhra Congress MPs would meet at New Delhi to arrive at a consensus over the issue during the weekend.

Union Ministers from Seemandhra region, besides MPs, tendered their resignation to protest the creation of Telangana state by splitting Andhra Pradesh when the issue was brought up during the cabinet meeting on October 3. However, the Lok Sabha Speaker refused to accept the resignations of the MPs while the Prime Minister rejected the resignations of his cabinet colleagues.

Several Ministers continued to execute their official responsibilities.

Another Parliamentarian Sabbam Hari, elected from Anakapalli constituency in coastal Andhra, claimed a letter to withdraw from parliament is under active consideration of most of the Seemandhra Congress MPs.

Claiming that a letter to this effect is being drafted, he said, "It is likely to be signed by five MPs today and rest in the coming days," he said.

In the 545-member Lok Sabha, UPA enjoys the support of 281 MPs that include those of outside supporting parties against the requirement of 272. Samajwadi Party (22) and BSP (21) are among the outside supporters.