No constitutional crisis in Andhra Pradesh, says PCC chief

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D. Srinivas on Sunday dismissed reports that the State had plunged into a constitutional crisis following the resignation of 138 MLAs and the decision of the Ministers to quit their posts.

The PCC president asserted that “no Minister has resigned from his post so far” while the MLAs, whom he personally spoke to, responded positively to his appeal to reconsider their resignations. “I have requested all of them against taking any step that will push the party and the government into crisis,” he told reporters here.

Mr. Srinivas advised the party Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and other elected representatives not to indulge in any action that could embarrass the Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Instead of precipitating matters and causing a crisis, the leaders could resolve the issues amicably by negotiations and seek clarifications from the leadership.

The party high command was aware of the current situation in the State and, “I will not be surprised if it deputes an emissary to address the apprehensions being raised.” Party leaders who were not satisfied with the announcement made by the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram could seek clarifications from him, he said, adding the leadership would do whatever was needed to be done at an appropriate time.

Emissary sought

At a separate press conference, two former Ministers from Rayalaseema -- J.C. Diwakar Reddy and D.L. Ravindra Reddy -- who started the spate of resignations urged the party high command to depute a responsible leader to clarify people’s doubts and resolve the deadlock. The confusion arose because of different versions given by Mr. Chidambaram, the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and it was for the Centre to allay apprehensions by sending an emissary. Quoting Chief Minister K. Rosaiah’s interview that appeared in these columns on Sunday, they asserted that there was no scope for imposing President’s rule in the State as “we are all behind Mr. Rosaiah.”

Gandhian protests

They claimed that the spate of resignations was not organised and the Ministers volunteered to quit from the posts only to register their protests in a Gandhian way. They refused to react to a question whether they would take back their resignations. “We will convey our stand when the Assembly meets on Monday,” they said.