In a move which will completely marginalise the YSR-Congress in Telangana region, party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and honorary president Vijayalakshmi have resigned from the lok Sabha and Assembly, respectively. The step is in protest against formation of Telangana State by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
Earlier, all 16 MlAs and only other lok Sabha member M Rajmohan Reddy had also sent their resignations against Telangana, sparking off an exodus of party’s rank and file.
The ruling Congress is in the grip of total chaos, with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s open revolt against party’s Central leadership over formation of Telangana State. On the other hand, in an open letter to the people, Jagan and Vijayalakshmi charged the Congress with adopting a unilateral and authoritarian attitude.
Meanwhile, the stir in Seemandhra is expected to intensify. Government employees and Road Transport Corporation workers will go on an indefinite strike from the midnight of Monday, demanding that unity of Andhra Pradesh be preserved. The petrol dealers association has also decided to go on a 48-hour strike from Monday.
The Chief Minister set the cat among the pigeons since he made the defiant statement against Sonia Gandhi’s decision to go ahead with formation of Telangana State. Kiran’s stand - that core issues concerning the people of other regions should be addressed before the State was divided - has emboldened fence-sitters among the Seemandhra Ministers and MlAs to challenge the high command.
YSR-Congress’ M Rajamohan Reddy told the media that the resignations were to protest against the Congress policy on the State’s bifurcation. “Congress is playing all these dramas as it was not able to face Jagan politically,” he said.
“Congress made the issue of division of the State as its own party affair and the latest proof is the AK Antony Committee. Instead of appointing a Government Committee where all stakeholders can present their respective viewpoint, it has gone domestic by appointing the Antony Committee without showing scant respect to the sentiments of the people,” the open letter noted.
Targeting the main Opposition Telugu Desam, the open letter said TDP president Chandrababu Naidu had given his consent to the bifurcation like a “blank cheque”. The TDP was thinking only in terms of political gains, it added. The two leaders said they were quitting their posts to express solidarity with crores of people fighting against division of the State.
The resignation of the two leaders is being seen as a clear indication that YSR-Congress had given up on Telangana region and would likely to focus solely on Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, where it will face TDP as main rival.