Hyderabad, March 30 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Wednesday rejected the resignation of his cabinet colleague Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, who attacked opposition legislators in the assembly two days ago.

A couple of hours after the agriculture minister submitted his resignation, the chief minister said he had rejected it and that Vivekananda Reddy would continue as minister.

Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, put in his papers a day after his term as member of the legislative council ended.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) demanded his resignation after the minister roughed up its two legislators in the assembly Monday for carrying provocative placards.

Reddy had rushed to the opposition benches, snatched the placards and attacked two legislators.

The minister later expressed regret and said he could not control himself when the opposition members described his late brother as a "thief."

The chief minister had also apologised to the house.

With his term over, Vivekananda Reddy has to get elected to the assembly or the council within six months. He is planning to contest the by-election to Pulivendula assembly constituency.

The assembly seat fell vacant after Rajasekhara Reddy's widow Vijayalaxmi resigned in November last year.

Her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy also quit the Congress party and Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, accusing the party leadership of dividing the family by luring Vivekananda with a ministerial berth. He later launched his own party - the YSR Congress Party.