Thaindian News

Hyderabad, July 4 (IANS) Three legislators of Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Congress party from Telangana region Monday submitted their resignations, hours before Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators are to quit enmasse for a separate state.

Vishnuvardhan Reddy, one of the legislators from Hyderabad, submitted his resignation to Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka as Speaker N. Manohar is in the US. He became the first Congress legislator to quit.

Four rebel legislators of TDP had sent their resignations to the speaker’s office Sunday from their hunger strike camp.

Rebel Congress legislator Konda Surekha has also submitted her resignation while another Congress legislator, G. Venkat Ram Reddy, faxed his resignation from the US.

Ministers from Telangana have sought an appointment with Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to submit their resignations. They along with the legislators met at the residence of Panchayat Raj Minister Jana Reddy before leaving for the assembly to resign.

Reacting to reports that the central leadership invited them to Delhi for talks, minister K. Venkat Ramreddy told reporters that there was no question of going to the capital unless the centrd agreed to form a separate state.

“We have already made it clear that our visit last month was the last visit to Delhi for talks,” he said.

Nine MPs of Congress have reached Delhi to submit their resignations to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

TDP legislators reached the assembly building much in advance to hold a meeting to chalk out their strategy. They are likely to resign enmass after Congress legislators submit their papers.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements around the assembly building.