Telangana formation: Pallam Raju offers to quit in protest

Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister M.M. Pallam Raju and other Union Ministers from Andhra region have offered to quit in protest against the decision to form a separate Telangana state.

Pallam Raju told DD News in an exclusive interview that he along with other union ministers from Andhra region have offered to quit in protest against decision to form Telangana.

The HRD Minister, however, said the Congress Party has asked him to stay on.

According to reports, the upset Union Ministers from Andhra have been persuaded by Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh to meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday.

Seven Congress Members of Parliament earlier in the day submitted their resignations on Telangana issue.

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 said.

"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," he added.

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.