Andhra CM Kiran Reddy to meet non-Telangana MLAs on Saturday

The Andhra Pradesh Congress leadership has convened a meeting of its legislators from Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra here tomorrow as they resigned in protest against the creation of a separate Telangana state

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief B. Satyanarayana would hold discussions with the Ministers, MLAs and MLCs from the two regions to address their concerns.

Satyanarayana said that there is need to observe restraint by all concerned to ensure an amicable solution.

He said 25 Congress MLAs have given resignation letters to him, which is in addition to those who have submitted their papers to the Legislative Assembly Speaker.

Satyanarayana further said that the Congress legislators are only reflecting the mood of the people of their regions through their resignation.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh today urged united Andhra leaders to main peace, and accept the Congress Working Committee's (CWC) decision for the creation of a separate Telangana state.

"I urge upon them (ministers supporting united Andhra) to maintain peace and calm. Whatever the issues they have, we will try to address them," Singh told media in New Delhi.

"We are in the touch with the people, with the members of parliament, with the MLAs and we are trying to convince them that all their problem and all their issues will be addressed. Therefore, I strongly appeal to them that they (ministers supporting united Andhra) should accept the CWC decision," Singh added.

According to reports, Andhra Pradesh Congress leaders from Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra have decided to urge party high command to reconsider its decision to bifurcate the state even as some of them started tendering resignations.

After holding a meeting in Hyderabad last evening, three ministers are learnt to have handed over their resignations to Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in favour of a united state.

About 18 ministers, AICC Secretaries Tirunavukkarasu and Ramachandra Kuntia and Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Satyanarayana attended the meeting that continued for more than three hours.

Meanwhile, 11 Congress legislators from Seemandhra regions have submitted their resignations to the Speaker pressing their demand for a united Andhra. Eighteen more legislators have sent resignation papers to the Pradesh Congress President.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde yesterday said that the process for the formation of the new state of Telangana would take about five to six months as per constitutional norms.

"The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has passed a resolution and further procedure will be done according to the Constitution of India. Telangana will be formed by following all the procedures and it would take five to six months," he said.

He also added that Telangana was being formed because it was the oldest issue and the people of that region have been agitating and demanding the formation of a separate state since 1956.