AP law minister quits over state bifurcation decision

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy resigned from the post and also from primary membership of Congress in protest against the Union Cabinet's decision to bifurcate the state. He tendered his resignation to Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan this afternoon. Erasu was one of the dozen ministers who had submitted resignations to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in the first week of August following the July 30 decision of the Congress' Central Working Committee to divide AP. The Chief Minister, however, did not accept the resignation and asked the ministers to wait for some more time and continue the fight for a united state till the end. The Union Cabinet's decision last night left all the ministers red-faced and they publicly vent their ire against the Congress high command. Erasu met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan, minutes ahead of an emergency meeting called by the Chief Minister to discuss the future course of action, and submitted his resignation. "The Congress' decision to bifurcate AP is against democracy," Erasu said, coming out of the Raj Bhavan. "The Congress will be totally wiped out in Seemaandhra region," he said. Last week, Animal Husbandry Minister P. Viswarupu quit his post as well as the Congress party over the state bifurcation decision. His resignation was accepted by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister