HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI: For the first time the 100-day-old Rosaiah Government wobbled on Thursday with 3 MPs and over 100 MLAs from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions offering their resignations in protest against the "unilateral" decision of the Centre to move a resolution in the Assembly for the creation of a separate Telangana state.
The MPs - two from the Congress and one from the TDP - joined 105 MLAs belonging to the Congress, TDP and Praja Rajyam in their protest.
Of the 105 MLAs the Congress accounted for 52, the TDP 42 and the PRP 11. In addition 34 Congress and 120 TDP Members of the Legislative Council have also resigned.
Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, emerged as the bone of contention between the two sides with Telangana leaders insisting that it should remain with their region while those from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema opposed its being ceded to the new state.
The Congress high command, which apparently did not expect such a strong reaction from the other regions, got into damage- control mode with party president Sonia Gandhi meeting MPs from Andhra Pradesh. She told agitated non-Telangana MPs that all views would be taken into account during talks. With diverse pulls and pressures coming to the fore the Congress hinted that creation of a separate Telangana could be a problem if there was no consensus at the state and central level.
The TDP, whose leader N Chandrababu Naidu had expressed support for Telangana a few days ago, made a U-turn and expressed total opposition to the bifurcation.
Praja Rajyam leader Chiranjeevi appealed to his party MLAs to withdraw their resignations.
Sensing trouble Chief Minister K Rosaiah said he would consult all political parties before tabling a resolution in the Assembly for the creation of Telangana.
