New Delhi: Prospect of President's rule looms large over Andhra Pradesh as the state plunged into an unprecedented political crisis with all the ministers from the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions deciding to resign to protest the Central Government's decision to grant separate statehood to Telangana.
In the event of Congress legislators refusing to withdraw their resignations, AICC President Sonia Gandhi is likely to go in for imposition of President’s Rule till tempers cool down.
According to sources, the AICC President had already made her stand clear that there was no going back on the separate Telangana issue.
It is a Catch-22 situation for the Congress in Andhra Pradesh with ministers on both sides of the Telangana divide threatening to quit. One side says they will quit if Telangana is formed while those from Telangana say they will quit if the state isn't formed.
20 MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have resigned. A beleagured Chief Minister K Rosaiah reportedly pleaded with them on Saturday and promised to resign.
Sources say the Congress high command may give Rosaiah the go-ahead to step down. If that happens then the state Assembly will be suspended or dissolved and Andhra will be placed under Central Rule.
In the 294-member Assembly, 175 members come from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions while 119 are from Telangana.
State warns protestors
Amid ongoing agitation in support of a unified Andhra Pradesh, the state government asserted it will not remain a mute spectator to any act of violence and deal with perpetrators with a firm hand.
Talking to reporters along with State Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao in the Secretariat, Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy warned protesters against disrupting normal life and causing damage to public and private properties in the ongoing protests in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
"Please carry out your protests in a peaceful and restrained manner and do not cause any destruction to properties," she appealed and assured people that they need not be alarmed as the government would ensure full security.
Sabita also appealed to students not to boycott classes and take to streets as it will spoil their career. Replying to a question, the Home Minister said they have not yet withdrawn criminal cases against leaders, students and those associated with the separate Telangana agitation recently.
"We have not yet received any official request from the Centre asking for withdrawal of cases. I too have heard about Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement on this issue," the Minister said.
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