"I too will have to quit my post in the event of your resignation," Rosaiah reportedly told the ministers who sought to put in their papers in support of a unified state.

The ministers, under immense pressure from their constituents to quit following the Centre's decision to create a separate state of Telangana, met in a star hotel here this afternoon and decided to step down.

They asked three of their colleagues to communicate their decision to the Chief Minister.

Accordingly, senior ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao (Revenue), Gade Venkata Reddy (Endowments) and C Silpa Mohan Reddy (Housing) met the Chief Minister at his residence this evening and informed him about the decision of 20 ministers to step down in deference to the wishes of their constituents.

"We are under pressure from fellow MLAs and people to quit in protest against the Centre's move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh," the three ministers told the Chief Minister.

"He, however, asked us not to take such a decision since we had the responsibility of dispelling the misgivings among people, as also the MLAs who have already resigned, over the proposed bifurcation of the state," Dharmana told reporters after the meeting with the Chief Minister.

Following Rosaiah's suggestion, the ministers from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema would meet here again tomorrow to decide their future course of action, he said.
"He (Rosaiah) said we all should work together to resolve the current crisis," Dharmana said.

The Chief Minister also told the agitated ministers that they could discuss the issue with the party high command as well as the government of India to find a solution.
"Let us reassure people that a solution will be found to the current imbroglio through consultations," Dharmana quoted the Chief Minister as telling them.

Earlier in the day, Municipal Administration Minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy said: "We have decided to resign from our posts as there is a lot of pressure on us from the people of our constituencies as well as fellow MLAs who have already submitted their resignations," he said.

"They would be bound by the people's wishes," he added.
Meanwhile, Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who hails from Warangal in Telangana, appealed to his colleagues from Andhra and Rayalaseema not to precipitate the issue and drop the move to resign.

"We should all abide by the party high command's decision. Resignation is not the solution to any problem. It will rather precipitate a crisis and also stir up emotions," Ponnala, a strong proponent of a separate state, remarked.

He said any contentious issue could be discussed in party fora for an amicable solution. "There is no scope for a political process on the Telangana issue now when the constitutional process has started," he said.