7 Telangana Congress MPs stick to resignation decision

Amid reports there were differences among them on the issue of resignation, the MPs, however did not go ahead with the decision to take the "harsh step" as planned today, a day after they made the announcement.

TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao, meanwhile, was slammed by the Congress for his comments against the ruling party and the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The seven MPs announced yesterday they would forward their resignation along with a letter explaining the reason for it to Congress President Sonia Gandhi today. They dismissed talk of differences among them on the resignation decision.

The MPs told reporters in Hyderabad that they would go ahead with their decision and reach New Delhi tomorrow to submit their resignations to Gandhi.

The MPs said they received a call from Congress leader and Union Minister Vayalar Ravi asking them to come to the national capital to discuss the Telangana issue.

In New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said the developments relating to the seven Congress MPs was an "internal matter" of the party.

The seven MPs met at the residence of former MP K Keshava Rao for the second day today.

They later came out with the announcement that they have decided to take the "harsh step" as the party was still dithering on the statehood issue.

"There is no way we can continue in the Congress party. There is a reason for our resignations. The reason is our party and its top leaders," Keshava Rao said.

Both Alvi and Andhra Pradesh State Congress president B Satyanarayana flayed TRS chief for his remarks.

"Chandrasekhar Rao says Congress is deceiving Telangana. He says Nehruji merged the region with Andhra, Indira Gandhi killed 369 (pro-Telangana) students and Sonia Gandhi is now harassing Telangana people. This is his language. Is this fair, justified for him?," Satyanarayana said.

The BJP while taking a serious view of the "dilly-dallying tactics" of the Centre on formation of Telangana said government should stop playing with the sentiments of the local people and immediately form the separate state.