As protests in Seemandhra region continue to gather momentum, six union ministers hailing from the region have claimed to resign in a desperate face-saving move. The ministers including union human resources development minister D Pallam Raju said they will be submitting their resignations to prime minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

Ministers of state Chiranjeevi, D Purandeswari and Killi Krupa Rani claimed to have faxed their resignations to the prime minister on Friday. Two other ministers Kavuri Sambasiva Rao and Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy resigned on Thursday night. In addition, three other ministers Kishore Chandra Dev, J D Seelam and Panabaka Lakshmi are yet take a decision on whether or not to continue in office.

However, the prime minister’s office (PMO) is yet to confirm the resignations.

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Expressing his disappointment on the consultation process, Rao had said the opinions of those belonging to the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions had not been given enough importance. In addition, he has also expressed his concerns about the future of Hyderabad.

Echoing the sentiment, Raju has said that following the bifurcation, employment and revenue generation opportunities will be denied to people of Seemandhra.

The union ministers’ sheepish moves come in the wake of speculation that they are indeed reluctant to relinquish their positions. Sources said that the ministers were using the resignations as a smokescreen in order to deflect away the anguish of the Seemandhra protesters.

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Meanwhile, a meeting of Seemandhra Congress legislators including state ministers was held in Hyderabad on Friday. During the meeting it was decided that since there was a likelihood of the issue being referred to the state assembly, the ministers should hold back their resignations until they vote against the bifurcation.