Hyderabad: Caught in the midst of a
vertically divided Cabinet on the Telangana issue, Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah has invoked the fear of the
Congress high command on his colleagues in his attempt to make
them fall in line, at least in public.
Rosaiah, who interacted with a group of ministers
belonging to the two sides -- Telangana and Andhra and
Rayalaseema -- at his residence late on Sunday night after the
two sides met separately, reportedly reminded them about the
"style of functioning" of the party high command.
"This could well be your last stint as ministers if
you overstep your brief and violate the high command," he
reportedly cautioned.
Following Rosaiah's curt warning, the ministers held a
joint meeting in the Assembly committee hall here this morning
and are said to have decided not to precipitate the current
crisis.
This was seen as a bid by the ministers to display
their unity at a time when the state has been facing a
political turmoil.
Accordingly, the ministers belonging to Andhra and
Rayalaseema regions decided to "rethink" their earlier
decision to resign from their posts.
"The issue is over. There will be no resignations as
of now," a senior minister from Andhra told PTI in the
Assembly lobbies.
The Andhra and Rayalaseema ministers, however, are not
publicly saying anything on their resignations because of the
problems they might face in their respective constituencies
where there is a surcharged atmosphere against the division of
the state.
-PTI
First Published: Monday, December 14, 2009, 22:10