Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has reportedly turned down a request made by Seemandhra Congress MPs not to resign till February 21. Confidential companions of Mr. Kiran Kumar contend that he has made up his mind not to stay in the office for a minute once the President Pranab Mukherjee refers the AP Reorganisation Bill to the Parliament.

“If you resign, it will be a difficulty to our fight against bifurcation of AP,” a two-time MP from Seemandhra is perceived to have told Mr. Reddy on Sunday. The MPs feel that the Chief Minister should hold on and wait for developments in Parliament during the next 10 days. Their expectation is BJP, which is none too happy with the Bill in its present form, may at the last moment back out and use the opportunity to embarrass the Congress.