Chiranjeevi resigns as minister over Telangana decision

Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Thursday night resigned from his post in protest against the Union Cabinet's approval of the formation of separate Telangana, his aide said.

The actor-turned-politician has faxed his resignation to the Prime Minister's Office, his personal assistant said.

Chiranjeevi, who hails from Coastal Andhra, felt anguished over the way the protests in Seema-andhra regions, going on for over two months, against the division of Andhra Pradesh were handled.

He has come under intense pressure from the united-Andhra supporters in the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions following the Congress Working Committee's endorsement of separate Telangana demand on July 30.

The united-Andhra supporters have often demanded that Chiranjeevi quit his post to mount pressure on the Congress leadership towards halting the division of Andhra Pradesh.