YSRCP MLAs stage dharna, arrested

Police on Friday arrested more than a dozen YSR Congress party legislators as they staged a sit-in in front of the chief minister's office at the state secretariat in Hyderabad, demanding convening of an immediate assembly session to pass a resolution opposing the state's proposed bifurcation.

The legislators were arrested as they sat in front of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy's office holding placards and raising slogans in support of their demand.
Police shifted the arrested legislators to Saifabad police station. They were later released.
Before staging the sit-in, the legislators, led by Shoba Nagi Reddy, met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum demanding that the assembly be convened immediately to pass a resolution urging the Centre to keep the state united.
YSR Congress leaders said the chief minister summarily turned down their demand and told them that it was not possible to hold the assembly session.
Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had on Thursday called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to reiterate his demand. He had also met the governor with the same demand on Sep 30.
Jagan Mohan Reddy said the assembly should pass a resolution urging the Centre not to divide the state. He argued that only such a move could keep the state united as passing any resolution after the Centre drafts the Telangana bill would be of no use.