Quit or face action, Telangana activists tell MLAs

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Groups pressing for a separate state of Telangana have stepped up pressure on MPs, ministers and legislators from the region who have not yet resigned.

Activists of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Joint Action Committee (JAC) as well as students on Tuesday laid siege to the houses of such leaders, demanding that they resign immediately.

The TRS and JAC have described them as 'traitors'.

There was tension in Malkajgiri on the outskirts of Hyderabad as protesters laid siege to the house of Congress legislator Akula Rajender demanding that he resign.

Police stopped the activists from barging into the house. Two young men climbed a nearby cell phone tower threatening to commit suicide if the leader refused to quit.

While 82 out of 119 members of assembly from the region have resigned, the rest are reluctant. Five MPs, including union Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, have also not yet submitted their resignations.

Protesters at Uppal in Hyderabad set afire an effigy of Congress MP Sarve Satyanarayana, who has refused to resign.

Activists also laid siege to the house of TDP Rajya Sabha member Gundu Sudha Rani in Warangal, demanding her resignation.

They took out a mock funeral of a Congress legislator Kanta Rao in Khammam district.

The JAC, comprising students of Osmania University, have threatened to attack the houses of those who have not resigned. It has warned ministers from Hyderabad -- Mukesh Goud and Danam Nagender -- against any further delay in submitting their resignations.

The leaders also announced that they would take out a rally to the assembly July 7 to urge the speaker to accept all resignations.

Interestingly, none of the 11 members of assembly belonging to the TRS has resigned. TRS leader Harish Rao said they were not afraid of submitting their resignations.

TRS is treading cautiously this time. All its legislators had resigned in January last year and their resignations were accepted.

But the Congress and TDP legislators backed out. The party, however, retained the seats with massive majority in the by-elections. However both MPs of TRS have submitted their resignations.