Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi (File photo)
Protesting the Centre's Telangana plans, Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Friday sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Interestingly, the 58-year-old actor-turned-politician broke with the protocol which required him to send his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, and not the party chief.
In his letter to Ms Gandhi, sources said, Mr Chiranjeevi has also urged his party president to ask PM Manmohan Singh to accept his resignation letter faxed on October 4.
The leader from Andhra Pradesh, who merged his Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress earlier this year, is also expected to formally announce his resignation in Rajya Sabha.
Mr Chiranjeevi's resignation came in the backdrop of the YSR Congress and the TDP enforcing a two-day bandh in Seemandhra in protest against the Cabinet's nod to the Telangana state yesterday.
The Centre's draft Bill on India's 29th state is expected to be sent by tomorrow to President Pranab Mukherjee, who will then send it to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, which meets on January 12.