The Passage of the Telangana Bill in the Lok Sabha has triggered a political storm in Andhra Pradesh. Resignations by Congress members are trickling in, even as the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is expected to announce his resignation at a press conference on Wednesday morning.

The Chief Minister is likely to explain why he was against the division of the State and defied the party high command. He had said earlier that he would step down if the Bill is tabled in the current form. He has maintained a steady silence since Tuesday evening.

Rumours are ripe about his next move. Sources said the Chief Minister might recommend President’s rule in the state.

Meanwhile, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, a ministerial colleague and a close confidante of Kiran Reddy, resigned from the Congress and the ministry. He was followed by Erasu Pratap Reddy, Law Minister. At least half a dozen legislators belonging to the Seemandhra region have also submitted their resignations protesting the bifurcation.

Union Minister D. Purandeswari has reportedly submitted her resignation from both the Cabinet and the Congress party. Lagadapati Rajagopal, who used pepper spray in Parliament, announced his ‘political sanyas’, acknowledging his failure to stop the bifurcation of the State. He was amongst the most vocal critics of the bifurcation of the State.

Some political leaders threatened to take the issue to the courts, while the YSR Congress, led by Jaganmohan Reddy, called for a bandh in the Seemandhra region on Wednesday.

In the State capital, the Director-General of Police, B Prasada Rao, and Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty reviewed the law and order situation and decided to take adequate measures to maintain law and order.

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