Hyderabad, Oct 30 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Governor N.D. Tiwari Friday accepted the resignation of Women Development and Child Welfare Minister Konda Surekha on the recommendation by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah.
Unhappy over the Congress party’s decision not to make Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy the chief minister, in succession to his father Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy who was killed in a chopper crash early September, the minister Thursday resigned from the cabinet.

Surekha’s resignation, however, had no impact on the ruling Congress party as other loyalists of the Kadapa MP said they would abide by the decision of the party’s central leadership.

The loyalists of former chief minister, late Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy and his son Jaganmohan Reddy among ministers, MPs and state legislators termed as “personal” Surekha’s resignation to resign and made it clear that they had no plans to quit to defy the leadership.

Party leaders also found fault with Surkeha for her statement criticising the leadership. She had termed it “unfortunate that the high command believed a few so-called seniors and denied the chief minister’s post to Jaganmohan Reddy, without showing any regard to the people’s wishes”.

Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy, also a staunch loyalist of YSR, felt that Surekha’s resignation would in no way help Jaganmohan Reddy. She said she would also have resigned if this could serve any purpose.

MPs Suresh Shetkar and Ponnam Prabhakar said while they want to see Jaganmohan Reddy as the chief minister, they would abide by the party leadership’s decision.

Ever since the death of YSR in a helicopter crash last month, Surekha had been demanding that Jaganmohan Reddy be appointed chief minister.

Political analysts say Surekha decided to resign as she was certain that the axe would fall on her during the proposed cabinet reshuffle by incumbent chief Minister K. Rosaiah. She had repeatedly stated that she would not remain a part of a cabinet not headed by Jaganmohan Reddy.

Meanwhile, some senior leaders, ministers and legislators met Chief Minister K. Rosaiah to discuss the political developments and assure him of their continued support.