By IANS,
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh Thursday appeared to be heading towards president’s rule as the en mass resignations of legislators from the Telangana region triggered a constitutional crisis.
The centre is also likely to appoint a new governor before imposing president’s rule. Governor N.D. Tiwari may be replaced in view of his poor health, official sources said, adding that former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy’s name was doing the rounds.
The latest statement by the centre on the issue of a separate Telangana state triggered a constitutional crisis as legislators irrespective of party lines decided to quit.
The majority of the 119 legislators from the 294-member assembly in the region have decided to submit their resignation. They include 50 legislators of the ruling Congress party. The pressure is also mounting on 13 ministers to quit.
Political observers said these resignations, if accepted by Speaker Kirankumar Reddy, will reduce the Rosaiah government to a minority.
Congress, which retained power in the elections early this year, has 157 members in the assembly.
Telangana legislators decided to quit to protest the centre’s u-turn on the issue even as 140 legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions started withdrawing their resignations.
The legislators from the two regions had submitted their resignations to the speaker after the Dec 9 announcement by the centre to initiate the process for a separate Telangana state, which comprises 10 districts, including Hyderabad.