Rediff

Hyderabad, Jun 23: Telugu Desam Party on Monday suffered a jolt when its senior leader T Devender Goud resigned from the party and assembly due to differences with the leadership over the Telangana statehood issue.

Goud, widely seen as number two in the party hierarchy and a strong votary of Telangana statehood cause, sent his resignation letter to party president N Chandrababu Naidu.

A backward class leader from neighbouring Ranga Reddy district, Goud -- who is also a member of the party's politburo -- had been mounting pressure on the leadership for an early decision on the demand for a separate Telangana state.

The former minister had, off late, emerged a rallying point for protagonists of separate Telangana state within the TDP.

"As a son of Telangana, I will strive for achieving the statehood goal. I will dedicate my life for the cause of Telangana people," Goud said in his resignation letter to Naidu.

He sent a separate letter to assembly Speaker K R Suresh Reddy resigning from the assembly membership.

Goud's resignation came as a jolt to TDP, which has traditionally opposed division of the state.

Bowing to pressure from a section of pro-Telangana leaders, the TDP had recently constituted a five-member committee to go into the issue and take feedback from the cadre. Goud is also a member of the committee.