Rosaiah resigns as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister

November 24, 2010

Hyderabad: As senior Congress leaders headed to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister K Rosaiah has announced his resignation.

At a press conference, Rosaiah said his age makes it tough for him to continue in office. He also said he has faced problems with coordinating the party. Since Rosaiah was promoted from Finance to Chief Minister, he has faced considerable opposition from within the Congress, much of it provoked by Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose father was the immensely-popular YSR.

In Delhi, Janardhan Dwivedi of the Congress said that Rosaiah offered his resignation yesterday to the party during his trip to Delhi, and that it was accepted today.

Over the last few days, the Congress in Andhra Pradesh has faced a public and massive attack from one of its own against the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi.

On Friday, Sakshi TV, owned by Jagan Mohan, broadcast a program that was scathing in its assessment of both leaders. The channel's management said Jagan Mohan was not aware of the show's contents. Re-runs of the same show did not carry the controversial parts.

After his father died in a helicopter crash last year, Jagan has rebelled openly against the party's decision to appoint Rosaiah as YSR's successor. He conducted his Odarpu Yatra - a tour of the state and a show of strength, - in open defiance of the party which had ordered him to cut short the road show.

Despite the Sakshi TV attack, the Congress has decided that it will not penalize Jagan for now - the party believes it needs to focus on its battle with the Opposition in parliament over the 2G spectrum scam. This winter session has seen non-stop adjournment of both houses over the 2G issue.

Today, Pranab Mukherjee and Moily will meet with Congress MLAs in Hyderabad. A formal resolution praising Sonia Gandhi is expected to be announced here, along with a strongly-worded condemnation of the Sakshi TV show. But top of the agenda will be picking the next chief minister of Andhra Pradesh who will come to power as the state waits with considerable tension for a report on whether it should be bifurcated.