In a strong show of solidarity, 19 Ministers from the Seemandhra region got together here on Wednesday and resolved to impress upon the Congress high command in no uncertain terms that bifurcation of State was not acceptable to them and hinted at resigning if their plea went unheard.
“Seemandhra Ministers and others will meet our leaders in New Delhi on July 26 to plead for keeping Andhra Prades united. We will try to convince our central leadership and we do not rule out resorting to extreme steps” Dr. S. Sailajanath told reporters after a two-hour-long meeting of Ministers held in the evening against the backdrop of reports that the high command was in favour of birfurcating the State. Nineteen out of the 22 Ministers from Seemandra attended the meeting held in the Club House of the Ministers Quarters in Jubilee Hills.
These leaders plan to involve Union Ministers and MPs from the region in what they described as a ‘last-ditch attempt’ and ‘’ the final battle’ to stall creation of Telangana.
Soon after the meeting, they went to CM's camp office and briefed Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Buoyed by the party’s strong showing in the first phase of the panchayat elections, the Ministers held the view that they can repeat the performance if the State remained united.