Date:02/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/02/stories/2007060201820800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Seven A.P. Congress MLAs quit panel on GO 610

Special Correspondent

Accuse Telangana MLAs of humiliating them at meetings

HYDERABAD: Seven Congress MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions resigned from the House Committee on implementation of GO 610 on Friday after accusing members from Telangana of humiliating them at meetings of the panel.

Five MLAs, Gade Venkata Reddy, C. Shailajanath, K. Ravi Babu, D.C. Govinda Reddy and K. Parthasarathy (Vuyyuru), met Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy at his residence and handed over their letters of resignation. Two others, Dara Sambaiah and B. Vedavyas, also announced their decision to quit the Assembly panel.

The Speaker later told reporters that these members appeared hurt by the developments at the meetings. "I will discuss the matter with the chairman of the committee (Uttam Kumar Reddy) and sort out the issue," he said.

Sharp exchanges

Meetings of the House Committee for monitoring and implementation of GO 610 to restore jobs for locals in Telangana have in the past few months witnessed sharp exchanges between members from the Andhra and Telangana regions. Irked by the attitude of the members from Telangana, the former boycotted the committee meeting on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Venkata Reddy and others said the developments at the committee's deliberations made them feel that it was not desirable for them to continue in the interests of the State. They said the Telangana MLAs were crossing the limits.Mr. Venkata Reddy said the GO should be implemented within the purview of Presidential Order and six-point formula. "We decided to resign so as to promote amity and friendship between the two regions," he said. He regretted that the MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions were being portrayed as being opposed to implementation of GO 610.