CM Kiran upset but asked him not to quit till February 21: Seemandhra MP

Hyderabad: Congress MP from Vijayawada L. Rajagopal on Saturday criticised the party high command for not heeding the views of Seemandhra leaders on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, but said he had advised Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy not to quit until the Parliament session ended.

"Unfortunately, the Congress high command did not listen to feelings of Union ministers from Seemandhra, of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, state ministers, PCC president, MPs and MLAs," Rajagopal told reporters in Vijayawada.

Amid speculation here that Chief Minister Reddy may quit in the wake of Centre going ahead with bifurcation, Rajagopal said he urged him not to quit before February 21, when the Parliament session is slated to conclude.

"CM is also upset. We told him that you remain in your post till February 21 which is the last day for Parliament, that will give support to the MPs and Union Ministers (from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema)," Rajagopal said.

Reddy, who has been opposing the division, staged an unprecedented sit-in in Delhi this week to voice the protest of Seemandhra Congress leaders.

Congress MP from Guntur R. Sambasiva Rao said he and other Seemandhra MPs and Union Ministers would vote against the Telangana bill in the Parliament. State minister T.G. Venkatesh said their decision on future course would also depend on the "note to be sent by President to Parliament".