102 MLAs resign, Andhra assembly adjourned

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (ANI): Cutting across party lines, 102 MLAs belonging to different political parties handed over their resignation letters to the State Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy this morning in protest against the Centre's decision to initiate the process for the formation of the Telangana State.

The announcement sanctioning a new State has backfired colossally for the Centre.

The Andhra Pradesh assembly has been adjourned for fifteen minutes following the resignations by MLAs.

Andhra Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy said the resignations have not been accepted yet.

Earlier on Thursday, 93 legislators hailing from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions of Andhra Pradesh (AP) had also submitted their resignation letters to the Speaker of the House, in protest against the Centre's decision to initiate the process of formation of the Telangana state.

"I will be calling every signatory to the resignation letter before I take any decision," the speaker had said on Thursday, adding that he had received resignation letters of 53 Congress legislators, 29 Telugu Desam Party MLAs and 11 Praja Rajyam Party legislators.

Under tremendous pressure, the Centre late on Wednesday night accepted the demand of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao for the formation of a Telangana State.

With its decision, the Centre seems to fumble over the Telangana issue, as along with Telangana, now there is a demand for separate States for Andhra, Rayalaseema and even north-coastal Andhra bordering Orissa.

To add to the troubles of the government, there is also a demand for according Union Territory status for Hyderabad.

Chief minister, K Rosaiah, had on Thursday urged the legislators not to get agitated and pointed out that a resolution seeking separate statehood for Telangana could be adopted by the Assembly only with the consent of the majority of the members.

Meanwhile, a shutdown has been called today in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema districts, to protest against the Centre's decision for giving its nod to the formation of a Telangana State. (ANI)