JOIN US The Congress appears to have quelled dissidence within the party from leaders of Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra who had threatened to resign if the Centre decides to form a separate Telangana.
Ministers and leaders from the Seemandhra region – as the two regions are jointly referred to – had launched a late campaign to keep Andhra Pradesh united after the Congress leadership gave indications of forming Telangana.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Reddy was also learnt to have told the party leadership that he cannot preside over the division of the state, dropping hints of resigning from his post.
Union Ministers M M Pallam Raju, D Purandeshwari, J D Seelam, K Chiranjeevi and MPs K Bapi Raju and Anantrami Reddy had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and voiced their opposition to the division of Andhra Pradesh.
There were also reports of about 15 Andhra Pradesh ministers planning to quit to press for their demands.
It appears that the Congress leadership had cracked the whip asking leaders to toe the party line.
HRD Minister Raju and N Kiran Reddy in separate interactions with the media dismissed speculation over their resignations.
Several party MPs and Union Ministers from the Seemandhra region met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to convey their opposition to the creation of Telangana. Gandhi is learnt to have asked them to follow the party line and assured them that their concerns would be taken care of.
“We appeal to our friends in Coastal Andhra and Rayalseema. I think the Congress party always takes certain measures, which may appear to be very harsh, but we need to find a solution,” said Seelam, who was made a Union Minister recently.
Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary stoutly rejected the reports of possible resignations as “canards” spread by vested interests.