Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu`s letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night, seeking immediate resolution of the Telangana statehood issue, has not gone down well with some of his party leaders, particularly those from the Rayalaseema region.
While two MLAs threatened to quit the TDP, party general secretary Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy announced that he was resigning with immediate effect.
Byreddy vent out his ire against Chandrababu Naidu for supporting the state bifurcation demand. "What will happen to Rayalaseema if Telangana state is created," he asked.
Byreddy had been fighting for a separate Rayalaseema state under the Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samiti`s banner for the past few months and he was seen to have Chandrababu Naidu`s tacit support, so that the Telangana demand is diluted.
Disapproving such claims, Byreddy announced that he is quitting the TDP to continue his fight for Rayalaseema.
A virtual revolt against his action which has been perceived as "pro-Telangana" began in Chandrababu`s home district Chittoor, where Tamballapalli MLA Praveen Kumar Reddy threatened to quit the party if the letter was not withdrawn immediately.
"We will not support the unilateral action of Chandrababu Naidu. How can he extend support to Telangana," Praveen questioned, adding that he would walk out of the TDP.
Palamaneru MLA Amarnath Reddy, considered close to Chandrababu, too spoke in a similar manner and criticised his party chief over the letter.
However, TDP sources noted that the two MLAs were only trying to utilise the letter to the prime minister as a pretext to get out of the party and join the YSR Congress.
PTI
