T Cong MLAs ask ministers to resign first

Congress MLAs from the region have adopted a new strategy to escape criticism from pro-Telangana activists for not resigning afresh from their posts.

In the meeting of Telangana Congress Steering Committee held here on Saturday, the Congress MLAs have decided to pressurise the ministers from the region to resign from the cabinet. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress MLA T Rajaiah said that the ministers would be asked to submit their resignation directly to the Governor. "Once the ministers resign from the cabinet, then all MLAs will follow the suit and resign from their assembly membership," Rajaiah said.

Sources say that the Congress MLAs were critical that Telangana minister intelligently resigned from their MLAs post while retaining their cabinet berth. They would have remained ministers for six month, in case the Speaker would have accepted the resignations submitted by all MLAs. But the scenario would have been different if they would have submitted their resignations from the cabinet directly to the Governor. Therefore, this time the Congress MLAs want the ministers to lead from the front and resign from the cabinet first.

In response to the MLAs decision, Minister Komatireddi Venkat Reddy announced that he would submit his resignation letter directly to the Governor, if the Central Government fails to take a positive decision with regard to separate Telangana state by September 30. It may be mentioned that Komatireddi is the lone minister from the Telangana region who did not participate in the last cabinet meeting and is not attending official duties.

On the other side, 11 other ministers who submitted resignation letters from the MLA's post resumed their duties after their resignation was rejected by the Speaker. Two other ministers - Danam Nagender and Mukesh Goud did not submit resignation.