Kiran resigns as CM, quits Congress

Hyderabad, Feb 19 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned from his post here on Wednesday in protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to carve out Telangana State. He also resigned from the primary membership of Congress party.

“I am resigning from the post of the chief minister, as MLA and also from Congress party,” he said while addressing a news conference along with some of his cabinet colleagues and legislators from Seemandhra region. He accused the Congress party of doing grave injustice to Telugu-speaking people.

The Chief Minister, who held a meeting with some of its cabinet colleagues at his camp office at Begumpet, proceeded to Raj Bhavan and handed over his resignation to Governor ESL Narasimhan. Kiran is miffed that the AP Reorganisation Bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha and that the Centre is keen to push it through in Rajya Sabha also.

The Bill to carve out Telangana, the 29th state, by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with Congress and BJP coming together on the issue.

A four-time MLA, Kiran Kumar Reddy, took over as the Chief Minister after Konijeti Rosaiah resigned on 24 November 2010. He is credited for launching schemes such as Mee Seva, Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu, SC/ST Sub-Plan, Bangaru Thalli, Mana Biyyam, Amma Hastham etc.,  INN