The Chief Minister, Kiran Kumar Reddy is not likely to be in a hurry in submitting his report to the Governor in according sanction for the prosecution of Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, who figures in the CBI charge-sheet in the Vanpic case, according to political analysts.

He is unlikely to forward the Minister's resignation to the Governor soon, as support for the Minister seemed to be building up in the Cabinet and party. A host of ministers including Deputy CM, Damodara Rajanarsimha, P. Sathyanarayana, Jana Reddy, D. Varaprasad, Kondru Murali, K. Parthasarathi, Ghanta Srinivas and others called on Prasada Rao over the last couple of days underlining the high-profile expression of solidarity for the beleagured minister.

Minister Raghuveera Reddy said that Prasada Rao had not taken any decision in his individual capacity and that the decisions in question were taken by the entire cabinet. Hence, there was no need for him to resign, he added. The way things stand, delay in forwarding Prasad Rao's resignation could help his cause for some time, because the moment he ceases to be a minister the way for his arrest and prosecution could get cleared.

However, Congress leaders unwittingly find themselves in a bind over the stand they are now adopting in Prasad Rao's case. On the one hand they are out to demonstrate their solidarity with him. He is being seen as yet another sacrificial lamb. On the other, support to his cause would imply an oblique form of criticism of the governments cases against YS Jaganmohan Reddy. At the same time, any action against him by way of acceptance of his resignation would be interpreted as a clear admission of guilt on the Ministers' part, according to observers.

How Prasada Rao's resignation drama unfolds and what ramifications it has for the Kiran Kumar Reddy government are factors that are hard to predict. What is certain is that the government finds itself in a tight spot over his resignation, which has won a lot of sympathy for him within his own party.

The long-term political ripples of any action against Dharmana are likely to prevent the Congress leadership in trying to precipitate any crisis which would explain any delay in initiating action against him. At any rate the government needs to 'study' the CBI request for his prosecution first at the Secretariat level and then forward it to the CM who would then recommend the future course of action to the Governor. This entire process could take weeks, it is learnt.