Congress plays down resignations of party lawmakers (Lead)
July 4th, 2011 - 8:48 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The Congress Monday played down the resignations of its legislators and MPs from Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh over the demand for creating a separate state, saying that “an appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time” on the statehood issue.
“It is a sensitive and emotional issue… An appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time. I do not want to say anything more at this stage,” Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here at the party’s official briefing.
Answering a volley of questions over the resignation of party MLAs and MPs hailing from Telangana, Ahmed said the central leadership was aware of the actual position and the party-in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, was in touch with the state party leaders.
Nine party MPs from the Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha submitted their resignations to the presiding officers Monday to build pressure on the party-led government to concede demand for a separate state.
“Nine MPs from Lok Sabha have submitted their resignation to the Speaker and one from Rajya Sabha to the chairman,” Congress MP K. Keshava Rao said outside parliament.
Rao said he had submitted his resignation to the Rajya Sabha chairman.
Thirty-six MLAs of the Congress from the region also resigned from the Andhra Pradesh assembly Monday.
Congress sources said the resignations of nine MPs from Lok Sabha, which are yet to be accepted by the Speaker, will not put any immediate question mark on the stability of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, though its zone of comfort could shrink in the coming days due to assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
They said the UPA had the backing of 322 MPs, including parties that were giving it outside support. The Samajwadi Party with 22 MPs and Bahujan Samaj Party with 21 besides Rashtriya Janata Dal (4) and Janata Dal-Secular (3) are extending outside support to the government.
The Congress has raised the pitch of its attack against the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh and party leaders do not rule out the possibility of BSP withdrawing support in the runup to the elections next year.
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Tags: andhra pradesh assembly, assembly polls, central leadership, congress leader, emotional issue, ghulam nabi azad, keshava, Lok Sabha, mlas, mps, party leaders, progressive alliance, question mark, rajya sabha, rao, resignation, resignations, Samajwadi Party, shakeel ahmed, statehood