26 MLAs loyal to Jagan submit resignations

Andhra Pradesh faced the prospect of another political crisis on Sunday, when 29 MLAs loyal to YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy announced their decision to resign from the Assembly to protest the CBI dragging in the name of the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a disproportionate assets case.

Since 27 of them belong to the Congress, the ruling party faced the possibility of a significant erosion of its majority in the 294-seat Assembly (where one seat is vacant), if their resignations are accepted. The MLAs said their intention was only to protest the attempt to tarnish YSR's image and not bring down the Kiran Kumar Reddy government.

Earlier, they discussed “highly disparaging” references to the late YSR in the FIR filed by the CBI on the orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The CBI had conducted searches on the business premises and residences of Mr. Jagan, who is Kadapa MP, and the corporate offices of the companies that invested in his firms.

Congress MPs M. Rajamohan Reddy (Nellore) and Sabbam Hari (Anakapalle) and two TDP rebel MLA said they would resign.