Chiranjeevi asks Sonia to accept resignation

Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Friday requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi to accept his resignation from the Union Cabinet.

"I am pained with the sequence of events in the process of bifurcation of the State of Andhra Pradesh. I am also hurt that the Seemandhra people's views have not been reflected nor have their aspirations being met with the recent Cabinet resolution," Chiranjeevi said in his letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi. "It is extremely difficult for me to discharge my Ministerial duties with such a heavy heart and a burdened conscience," he said.

"Since I have already tendered my resignation to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on October 4, 2013, I request you, as Chairperson of UPA, to kindly have my resignation accepted at the earliest with immediate effect," Chiranjeevi said.