By IANS,
Hyderabad : Another minister from Seemandhra Thursday submitted his resignation to protest the central government’s decision to carve out separate Telangana state.
Minister for Stamps and Registration Thota Narasimham submitted his resignation to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
He is the sixth minister to resign to demand the central government reverse its decision. More than 50 legislators from Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Andhra) have also quit since the decision was announced July 30.
Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Minister P. Viswaroop, who has already submitted his resignation, Thursday led a huge rally in East Godavari district to protest the state’s division.
Minister for Mines and Geology G. Aruna Kumari inaugurated a bike rally in Tirupati. She told reporters that she had already submitted her resignation. The minister said they were now pinning their on four-member high-level committed formed by the Congress party.
Meanwhile, protests continued in Seemandhra for the ninth day against the central government’s decision.
Students, political activists, government employees, lawyers and people from other walks of life took out rallies, formed human chains and staged road blockades. They also laid siege to the houses of elected representatives, demanding their resignations to keep the state united.
Samaikya Andhra Joint Action Committee (JAC) withdrew the shutdown from Thursday noon to Friday evening in view of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr’. Protestors in Kakinada laid siege to the house of union Human Resource Development Minister Pallam Raju, demanding his resignation.
In Ongole, students took out a massive rally. Over 10,000 students from various schools and colleges staged the sit-in.
Students also took out a huge rally on Vijayawada-Machilipatnam highway. The protest led to long traffic jam.
Congress legislator Thota Trimurthulu with hundreds of others launched 35-km long padyatra (walkathon) from Venkatayapalem in East Godavari district. The padyatra will conclude at Kakinada Thursday evening.