Congress MP seeks early decision on resignation

New Delhi: Congress Lok Sabha member from Seemandhra region, Lagadapati Rajagopal, who tendered his resignation protesting against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, today approached the Speaker’s office to press for a speedy decision on the issue. He said he was trying to meet Speaker Meira Kumar, but she was on a foreign tour. “I informed the Speaker’s office that my resignation was pending for more than 70 days,” he said.[caption id=“attachment_1171637” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Telangana trouble for Congress. Reuters[/caption] Rajagopal had submitted his resignation to the Speaker on 2 August in protest against the Centre’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Later, he approached the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to Lok Sabha Speaker for acceptance of his resignation. The Congress leader, representing Vijayawada parliamentary constituency, stressed it was his fundamental right to decide whether to continue in the Parliament or not. “Whether to continue as a member of Parliament is my fundamental right. I felt it was not honoured and for that reason I thought I should knock the doors of the judiciary,” he stated. Rajagopal also said he had told the Office of the Speaker that he was willing to withdraw his petition in the court, if his resignation was considered. PTI