Union Minister for Textiles Kavuri Sambasiva Rao on Thursday submitted his resignation from the Union Cabinet in protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to media persons after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Kavuri said that the Congress Government not only failed to prevent the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, it also did not issue the required ordinance on certain promises made to the people of Seemandhra (the residuary AP).
Kavuri admitted that his decision to resign from the Union Cabinet was delayed. However, he said that he had tried in vain to oppose the Telangana formation, which was done in the Parliament without a proper discussion and in violation of set norms.
He said that he continued on the post to ensure certain benefits to the residuary AP like creation of infrastructure for industrial development, merger of Anantapur and Kurnool districts with Telangana, merger of Bhadrachalam division with Seemandhra, and Union Territory status for Hyderabad. However, these tasks too remain unaccomplished.
Kavuri made it clear that he would not contest the ensuing elections on Congress party.
"I'm not going to contest on a Congress ticket," he said while adding that he had met BJP President Rajnath Singh although he is not in touch with him currently. (INN)
filed in:Congress, Telangana Formation, United AP Movement