New Delhi, October 4
Hours after Human Resource Development Minister MM Pallam Raju (Kakinada MP) and MoS Railways Kotla Jayasurya Prakash Reddy (Kurnool MP) resigned to protest the approval of a separate state of Telangana, the Congress reiterated there was no going back on the decision.

Three other ministers — Textiles Minister KS Rao, D Purandeswari (MoS Commerce) and Killi Kruparani (MoS Communication) — are also understood to have resigned, according to their aides. All the ministers’ resignations are learnt to be under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s consideration.

“We are not backtracking,” party spokesperson Meem Afzal said today in a firm reaffirmation of the Congress Working Committee’s July 30 resolution favouring division of Andhra Pradesh to form Telangana which the Congress described as its “commitment”.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Digvijay Singh said the decision was not politically motivated. He said both YSR Congress (whose leader Jagan Mohan announced a fast unto death for a united Andhra) and the TDP had been consulted on the bifurcation and were now backtracking.

HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju, who last night held back his resignation, today went ahead with it. “I am offended and aggrieved at the great haste with which the Cabinet rushed the Telangana decision. The PM yesterday told me not to act in haste.

I thought about it and have decided to resign. I have sought an appointment and will be tendering my resignation,” Raju said today slamming Cabinet’s haste as “not being in line with Congress’ intention of addressing the concerns of Seemandhra people who are against the division”.

“It’s a very sad day for Andhra Pradesh. Consequent to the CWC resolution there was a two-month-long agitation in Seemandhra following which the Antony committee was formed to do course correction and give directions. Without waiting for the Antony committee report, the Cabinet has rushed the decision without considering the sentiments of people. The move will be harmful in the long term. The harmony of three regions of the state will be affected. We have failed to articulate the views of our people well enough to prevent what happened,” said Raju, who had taken charge as HRD Minister on October 31 last.

Raju was absent at the meeting of HRD Consultative Committee of Parliament today where his deputy Shashi Tharoor represented him. He also skipped an important ministry scheme launch this evening.

The Congress, however, played cool saying the resignations were its internal matter and would be resolved. The party is hoping to win most of the 17 Lok Sabha segments in Telangana with TRS support and is reconciled to the emergence of the YSR Congress in Seemandhra which has 25 Lok Sabha seats.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Rayalseema Rayapati Samba Siwa Rao, who quit today in protest, predicted BJP’s gains in the state. He was referring specifically to Guntur which he has represented four times. Rao praised Modi as an emerging force among the youth and said, “Four Union ministers, besides four MPs of the Congress, have offered to resign. I hope that state ministers would follow suit.”