Kiran Reddy resigns as AP CM; also quits Cong over bifurcation

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today resigned from his post as well as the Congress protesting the manner in which the state was being divided "by throwing all norms to the wind" and lashed out at political parties for dividing the state in quest of "votes".
Soon after announcing his decision to quit, Kiran drove straight to the Raj Bhavan and handed over his resignation letter to Governor E S L Narasimhan. The chief minister also resigned as MLA.
"I have requested the Governor to make alternative arrangements at the earliest as I have no inclination to continue even as a caretaker," Kiran said.

"This is not an easy decision...I have taken it with a lot of pain that I could not save (unity) of Telugu people," Kiran announced at the crowded press conference at his camp office.
He lashed out at the Congress, along with TDP, YSR Congress, TRS and BJP, for dividing the state only in quest of "votes and seats".
"I strongly condemn this," he said, even as he thanked the Congress for making him the Chief Minister.

"Though I offered to resign the day (July 30, 2013) the CWC decided to bifurcate AP, I continued because Sonia Gandhi asked me to," he said.

"I stayed on to fight against the bifurcation till the end," Kiran said when asked why he was stepping down at the last minute.
The bill to carve out Telangana, the 29th state, by splitting Andhra Pradesh was yesterday passed by the Lok Sabha with Congress and BJP coming together on the issue.