The crisis in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, triggered by the resignation of party president K Chandrasekhara Rao after the defeat of the party in the recently held by elections, blew over on Wednesday with Rao withdrawing his resignation.
"I am bowing my head before the decision of the party leaders and intellectuals. Respecting the wishes and aspirations of the party workers, I am withdrawing the resignation," said Rao.
Rao came to the Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters, after the executive passed an unanimous resolution rejecting his resignation and urging him to withdraw it.
Rao had sent his resignation to party general secretary Madhusudhanachary on Tuesday accepting the moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the by election.
The TRS had lost two of its four Lok Sabha sets and nine of the 16 state assembly seats.
The executive, chaired by the party vice president Captain Lakshmikant Rao, discussed Rao's resignation for two hours and unanimously decided to turn it down.
A visibly moved KCR told the executive meeting that he was overwhelmed by the love and affection shown by the party cadres in an hour of crisis.
"I don't have sufficient words to thank you for the support you extended to me when I was injured and was feeling let down," he said.
In an indication that he was back in command, Rao announced that the TRS would observe Telangana Bandh on Friday to protest against the sharp increase in the petroleum price by the central government.
"As a party of the people of Telangana, we will have to reflect the feelings of the people," he said.
Earlier, the resolution moved by a Dalit legislator Koppula Eshwar, said, "The meeting has unanimously resolved to request K Chandrasekhara Rao to withdraw his resignation from the party president's post".
"Your courageous, untiring and relentless struggle for Telangana is invaluable. Your role in awakening the people of Telangana, making Telangana the pivotal issue in Andhra Pradesh politics and securing support of all political parties at the national level of Telangana is a matter of pride for all of us," the resolution said.
The resolution said that even in the most unfavourable conditions, Rao kept the flag of Telangana fluttering and the goal of Telangana statehood could be achieved only under his guidance.
Earlier, addressing the meeting, Telangana ideologue Professor K Jayashankar said that KCR did not have any right to resign as the party president because he was the founder of the party and it was he who had revived the Telangana movement.
He asked Rao not to take the defeat to his heart as ups and downs were the part and parcel of any political movement.
"It is a setback no doubt, but it is not an unbearable setback. It is a warning for us and it has given us an opportunity to realise our weakness. We should assess the situation in totality and realise our weaknesses and mistakes and take corrective steps. Now we should move ahead unitedly. If we have to continue our struggle at this crucial and key juncture and in a decisive phase, Chandrasekhkara Rao's leadership is a must," he said.
