Hyderabad:
It's been almost a month since trouble first began, but there seems no end yet to the Telangana crisis in Andhra Pradesh. In the latest chapter, 61 MLAs from the Telangana region have resigned, 11 ministers are expected to quit today and a beleaguered Centre says there is no question of going back on statehood for Telangana.
That promise comes from Law Minister Veerappa Moily who told national daily Hindu: "We have not reconsidered the decision or put the issue on the back burner. There is no question of going back."
But he clarified that Telangana could not be formed overnight as some parties were backtracking and the Centre wanted to involve all stakeholders.
Leaders from the Telangana region, across party lines, are however are continuing to quit protesting against the Centre's move to put statehood for Telangana on hold.
All 11 Telangana ministers in the Rosaiah cabinet are expected to resign today. The sports minister has quit already.
(Read: Andhra sports minister KV Reddy resigns) The Telangana ministers are now meeting the Chief Minister K Rosaiah for consultations.
Sixty-one MLAs from different parties have given their resignations to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker. (
Read: Resignations over Telangana: Who's in, who's out?)
In Delhi, 11 Congress MPs from Telangana have faxed a joint resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, expressing disappointment over the latest statement of P Chidambaram.
They also met Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and handed over a copy of the letter.
The region however has been tense ever since the Centre's statement putting statehood on hold and the state government is bracing for more violence. Police reinforcements were sent from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa. Twenty companies of additional security will arrive today in Hyderabad.
There was widespread violence all-day long on Thursday. Vehicles were badly damaged. The situation at the Osmania University campus remained volatile throughout the day. Increasing violence was reported from Telangana districts, especially Hyderabad, where police resorted to lathicharge to disperse angry mobs, including students of Osmania University.
(Read: Osmania erupts again, KCR calls off bandh)Hyderabad City Police Commissioner B Prasada Rao said they had received a complaint regarding an attack on TDP leaders and MLAs by pro-Telangana activists at Osmania University. (
Watch: TDP MLAs attacked at Osmania University)
He said the police would investigate the attack and a case would be registered and action taken against those involved in the attack.
On Thursday, pro-Telangana activists attacked TDP leaders when they visited the Osmania University campus to meet the agitating students who are supporting the separate Telangana movement.