Blow to KCR as only 15 quit

Just 15 legislators from five political parties submitted their resignations to the Speaker on Sunday, protesting against the terms of reference to the Srikrishna committee which they say is anti-Telangana. Among them were two Congress legislators, Mr R. Damodar Reddy and Ch. Mutyam Reddy, who face the the threat of party action.

This came as a big blow to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, whose ingenious gameplan was to force a constitutional crisis by getting enough number of legislators to resign from the Assembly.

As things stand now, neither the Assembly session nor the functioning of the Srikrishna Committee will be affected by the resignations. Mr Rao had planned to affect both.

Those who resigned include all the 10 MLAs of the TRS, TD’s Mr Chennamaneni Ramesh, (who had resigned on December 23 last), Mr Maheswar Reddy of the Praja Rajam and the (The BJP floor leader, Mr Kishan Reddy, announced that he will submit his resignation after the Governor’s speech in the Assembly on Monday. The

Speaker, Mr N. Kirankumar Reddy, accepted Mr Chennamaneni Ramesh’s resignation.

Many TD legislators submitted their resignations to the party leader, Mr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, while the Congress legislators streed clear of the drama.

The Telangana Joint Action Committee has decided to give MLAs one more day to submit their resignations against the Srikrishna Committee’s terms of reference.

“We have decided to announce the names of MLAs who do not submit their papers on February 16 and will launch protest dharnas before their houses and there will be complete non-cooperation from February 28,” said the convener of the Telangana Joint Action Committee, Prof. Kodandaram,

The JAC has also decided to boycott all goods produced by Andhra and Rayalaseema businessmen. Details about the goods and services to be boycotted will be announced later.