32 Telugu Desam MLAs resign again

All the 32 Telugu Desam MLAs from Telangana submitted their resignation again to S. Raja Sadaram, Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretary, on Wednesday evening after a seven-hour-long discussion and wait for their Congress counterparts to turn up.

Sources said that though a majority favoured resignation as the movement for Telangana was peaking, there was this fear among a few that their papers could be accepted. This could lead to by-elections, and the TRS and the Congress could then act in tandem to defeat them.

At least twice during the discussion, sources said, Telangana TD Forum convener Errabelli Dayakar Rao spoke to party president N. Chandrababu Naidu to convey the feelings of the legislators. Mr. Naidu is believed to have told them to ensure that there was no difference of opinion and the decision should be unanimous.

After submitting their resignations, Mr. Rao told journalists that they waited for the entire day for Telangana Congress MLAs, but they did not show up. He recalled that the date was announced a week ago in the hope that the ruling party legislators would join them in creating a constitutional crisis. Yet, the Telegu Desam MLAs have gone ahead to quit respecting the sentiment of the people of the region. “Now that we have resigned again in the prescribed format, it will build tremendous pressure on the Congress MLAs.”

By-elections

In a separate statement, he reiterated that the resignation by Opposition party MLAs could lead to by-elections which may not be of much help for formation of separate Telangana and the movement.

They took this path respecting people's desire. By delaying a decision on Telangana, the Congress was deceiving the people of the region and complicating the issue. A number of students and youth have sacrificed their lives.