Telegu Desam leader resigns over Telangana issue

Hyderabad, June 23 : T. Devender Goud, senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former minister resigned today from the party and the assembly following differences over Telangana statehood issue with the party leadership.

Goud, sent his resignation letter to the party president N. Chandrababu Naidu.

A member of the party's politburo, Goud was considered as Number Two in the party hierarchy and is a strong supporter of the Telangana statehood cause.

A backward class leader from Ranga Reddy District, Goud has, off late, emerged a rallying point for protagonists of separate Telangana state within the TDP.

He had been pressurising the leadership for an early decision on the demand for a separate Telangana state.

Goud's resignation came as a jolt to TDP which has traditionally opposed division of the State. The TDP leadership dismissed Gouds resignation as an "act of deceit", saying his decision would not have any impact on the party.

In his resignation letter addressed to Naidu, Goud said, "As a son of Telangana, I will strive for achieving the statehood goal. I will dedicate my life for the cause of Telangana people."

He sent a separate letter to the Assembly Speaker K R Suresh Reddy resigning from the assembly membership.

TDP had recently constituted a five-member committee to go into the statehood issue and take feedback from the cadres. Goud is also a member of the committee.

Goud's move came in the backdrop of Chandrababu Naidu's warning to party leaders not to air their differences over the Telangana issue in public.

ANI