Date:19/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/19/stories/2005071912580100.htm

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MSR relents under persuasion

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister rejects resignation, asks Minister to ignore media reports

HYDERABAD: For the second time, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has rejected the resignation of the Sports Minister, M. Satyanarayana Rao.

According to followers of Mr. Rao, he has reportedly agreed to withdraw the resignation. This followed persuasion by the Chief Minister after several party leaders, including the Andhra Pradesh Committee (APCC) president, K. Keshava Rao, and the party MLAs-- T. Jeevan Reddy and Gade Venkata Reddy-- counselled him earlier in the day at his residence to withdraw his resignation.

The efforts of the Congress leaders did not yield fruit as Mr. Rao insisted on the Government making the ACB report public but the Chief Minister's direct intervention reportedly made him change his view. Dr. Keshava Rao told the Minister that he should not fall prey to the designs of vested interests.

Mr. Rao had taken everyone by surprise on Sunday evening by tendering his resignation as he was peeved by media reports that investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had found a prima facie case against him in the endowments land scam.

No need to quit: YSR

Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy, who spoke to the Sports Minister, told reporters later that these reports were a creation of the press. There was no need for Mr. Satyanarayana Rao to resign since the ACB would take time to submit its report. "A lot of investigation remains to be done. The preliminary report can not be final," he said in response to a question.

The Chief Minister said he understood Mr. Rao's concern. Being the oldest person in the Cabinet (along with Mr. Rosaiah) it was quite natural for him to be sensitive to reports besmirching his reputation. He told the Minister that a commission had been constituted into the land scam and it was unnecessary for him to react to press reports. "All this is your (the media's) brainchild. I am sure he will reconsider his decision to resign," he said.