Jagan quits as MP over AP split issue, party's stand unclear

YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today resigned as Kadapa MP in protest against "unilateral and arrogant posturing" of Congress party on the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh but stopped short of spelling out his party's stand on the statehood issue.
Simultaneously, Jagan's mother and honorary president of YSR Congress Y S Vijaya too resigned from the membership of the state Assembly over the issue.
Jagan and Vijaya announced their resignations in an "open letter," released by the YSRC here this evening, even as party MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said both the resignation letters were "faxed" to Speakers of the respective Houses.

"Jagan faxed his resignation letter to Lok Sabha Speaker through the (Chanchalguda) jail authorities. It will also be sent by post," YSRC MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy told reporters this evening.
Vijaya, who represents Pulivendula constituency, also faxed her resignation to the Assembly Speaker's office. "Her resignation will also be sent to the Speaker by a special messenger," Mekapati said.
But, Jagan and Vijaya did not clearly spell out YSRC's stand on the bifurcation of the state and blamed Congress and Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP for the current situation, even as they expressed "solidarity" with people affected by the division.

"Without looking into reality, your unilateral posturing has put our state in disarray and with the hope that our resignations would change your thinking process, we submit our resignations in protest," Jagan and Vijaya said in the open letters.

They also accused Congress of further complicating the statehood issue.
"We are quitting our posts to express solidarity with the crores of people who have hit the streets to fight the injustice meted out to them by the division of the state without considering the consequences," they added.