Resignation accepted, Rosaiah thanks people, party, bureaucrats

Governor ESL Narasimhan on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Chief Minister K Rosaiah and advised him to continue in the post till alternative arrangements are made.

Earlier, Mr Rosaiah had addressed his last press conference as Chief Minister at the Secretariat and proceeded to the Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation to the Governor.

Sources say that Mr Rosaiah had requested the Governor to accept his resignation with immediate effect. He was closeted with the Governor for about 15 minutes.

In his resignation letter, Mr Rosaiah stated that he was unable to withstand the work-pressure citing his advanced age and the growing pressures of work, Governor office sources said.

Earlier, Mr Rosaiah had sought to dispel any doubts that there was any sort of pressure on him to resign by saying that there were no political reasons behind his resignation. He had refused to name his possible successor.

The Chief Minister also termed his decision to resign as ‘satisfactory’, but added that his unparalleled stint as the Finance Minister, in which capacity he has the unique distinction to present the state Budget for a record 16 times was far less strenuous. Mr Rosaiah also presented the budget for the 16th time during his stint as Chief Minister.

Mr Rosaiah took the opportunity of his last press meet at the Secretariat to thank the Congress party, the bureaucracy and the people for reposing faith in him. He also declared his unstinted cooperation to whoever succeeds him.

Mr Rosaiah, who looked relieved during his press meet, stated that he had decided to resign not only because his age did not allow him to continue, but the work pressure also forced him to relinquish his office as he was not in a position to discharge his duties under pressure from various quarters.

"Earlier as a Minister I had not much of a work load and therefore I could function at ease," he stated. 

"However, I worked as a disciplined soldier for 14 months," he said and added that though he did not belong to any particular group or a section, yet he was given a chance to serve the people by the High Command.

Mr Rosaiah categorically stated that High Command entrusted the job to fill the gap created by YSR's untimely demise and he did his best receiving full cooperation from his colleagues, MPs, MLAs and from Chief Secretary down to the last officer. He expressed his gratitude to all those who stood behind him including the high command.

Mr Rosaiah was also specific in referring to the press and said in a lighter vein, "due to a busy schedule, I could not give you time. And at times I may have lost my cool while talking to you. Please take it in right perspective. Now I am a free man, you can come to me any time and treat me as your friend."

Mr Rosaiah hardly fielded any questions from the press after his formal announcement. He was obviously determined to leave abruptly for Raj Bhavan.

But to a question, he denied that there was any political pressure behind his resignation. "No not at all," he said. On the other, he made it clear that he rose to such a status with the blessings and cooperation of the Congress High Command.

Stating that Sonia Gandhi had bestowed a responsibility on his shoulders, Mr Rosaiah maintained that he was grateful to her for choosing him for the post.  

The 78-year-old Rosaiah had taken over as the chief minister on September 3 last year following the death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash the day before. He remained at the helm of the government for 447 days.

Mr Rosaiah’s resignation caught most of the politicians in the state off-guard, since speculation was rife in political circles that he had visited New Delhi to brief the High Command over the fall out of a programme aired by Sakshi television channel which was seen as adverse to AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Congress MP from Kadapa YS Jaganmohan Reddy owns the Sakshi media house.

With Mr Rosaiah’s resignation, political activity in the Congress party is surcharged once more.