Chargesheeted in DA case, Andhra minister quits

Andhra Pradesh Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao resigned late on Tuesday night, a day after CBI named him as an accused in the disproportionate assets case against YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy.

Rao told reporters here that he submitted his resignation to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy who told him that a decision on the resignation would be taken only after obtaining legal opinion regarding his likely prosecution in the case.

Rao said "protecting the dignity and honour of Congress is primary to me and not my individual prestige. Hence, I have decided to put in my papers (in the wake of CBI naming him in the chargesheet in disproportionate case)".

Emerging from a 90-minute meeting with the chief minister, Rao claimed he had done "nothing illegal" and that he would come out clean.

Earlier, the minister returned to Hyderabad from New Delhi and drove to the CM's office in the company of Infrastructure Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.

Despite efforts by his cabinet colleagues to dissuade him from quitting, Dharmana Rao went ahead and handed over the resignation letter to the chief minister.