Telangana: Centre won't act in haste: PM

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Dec 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured lawmakers of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema that the Central Government would not do anything in haste on the Telangana issue.

The MLAs belonging to coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema met the Prime Minister this afternoon and expressed their disagreement over the Telangana statehood issue.

Meanwhile, a shutdown has been called in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema districts in protest against the Centre's decision to give its nod for initiating the process for the formation of a Telangana State.

The protestors are reported to have turned violent in some of the areas. The protestors have blocked the roads in Anantpur expressing their disappointment over the government's stand on the Telangana issue. The protestors in Tirupati have also stopped a train.

Earlier on Thursday, Students from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema had launched a counter agitation and staged demonstrations over the Telangana issue.

Cutting across party lines, 128 MLAs belonging to different political parties handed over their resignation letters to the State Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy today 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 till Monday following the protests. (ANI)