
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah resigned Wednesday, saying he was unable to withstand the work-pressure because of his age.
Minutes after making the announcement at a news conference, he drove to Raj Bhavan, submitted his resignation to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and requested him to accept it with immediate effect.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will elect a new leader at an emergency meeting Wednesday evening.
The 78-year-old leader had taken over as the chief minister on Sep 3 last year following the death of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.
The resignation came amid mounting pressure from a section of the party leaders to act against party MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the wake of a progarmme telecast by the latter's "Sakshi" channel criticizing Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
"There is no specific reason. Because of my age and because of the situation I am not able to withstand. So I sought permission from the high command for my resignation and at last they have agreed and permitted me. I am grateful to the high command, particularly Srimati Sonia Gandhi," Rosaiah told reporters.
He said he was satisfied with his work during the last 14 months and thanked Gandhi and all leaders and legislators of the party.
The veteran leader quit a day after his visit to New Delhi, where he is believed to have met Gandhi and submitted his resignation letter. On his return to Hyderabad Tuesday night, he announced that the CLP meeting would be held Wednesday evening.
Since the meeting's agenda was not decided, it was believed that it was called to isolate Jagan and his loyalists and condemn the programme aired on the channel.
Union minister S. Jaipal Reddy, state Assembly Speaker N. Kirankumar Reddy and state minister J. Geeta Reddy are among the frontrunners for the post of Andhra Pradesh chief minister following K. Rosaiah's resignation.
The new leader is likely to be elected at an emergency meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) here Wednesday evening.
Congress party sources have not ruled out that the legislators may authorise party president Sonia Gandhi to name the new leader.
Senior party leaders and central ministers Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony, Veerappa Moily and Ghulam Nabi Azad will be attending the CLP meet as central observers.
Jaipal Reddy, a senior leader with his vast experience as a central minister, appears to be the strong contender for the top post. The party MP, who is urban development minister, hails from Telangana.
State Minister for Information and Public Relations Geeta Reddy also comes from Telangana. The party is likely to choose someone from the region to counter the movement for separate statehood to Telangana.
The Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the centre to look into the demands for and against separate Telangana state, is scheduled to submit its report next month.
Kirankumar Reddy is also being seen as a frontrunner. The assembly speaker comes from Rayalaseema region and was considered a strong loyalist of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Union Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju and former state ministers K. Jana Reddy and M. Sashidhar Reddy, who is also the son of former chief minister M. Chenna Reddy, are among the dark horses. The two legislators also come from Telangana while Raju is from coastal Andhra.