A group of ministers urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy not to accept the resignation of Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, who put in his papers last week, after being charge-sheeted in a disproportionate assets case.

Rao had resigned after he was named by the CBI as an accused in the disproportionate assets case. The Chief Minister, however, did not give any assurance to his Cabinet colleagues on the issue and reportedly said he would take a call only after discussing it with the Congress high command. Kiran, who was supposed to hold talks with high command leaders in New Delhi yesterday, put off his trip as he could not get an appointment with AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, informed sources said.

Finance Minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy led the ministers' delegation that comprised Vatti Vasantha Kumar, Danam Nagender, E Pratap Reddy, Galla Aruna Kumari, D K Aruna, Kanna Lakshminarayana as well as Dharmana. The CBI has no locus standi to question the decisions of the Cabinet. It can't hold individual ministers responsible for the collective decisions of the Cabinet. Article 163 of the Constitution also clearly defines the role and responsibility of the ministers, the delegation told the Chief Minister. The Supreme Court also delivered judgments on previous occasions making it clear that the Cabinet decisions could not be questioned, they added. In view of this, the ministers wanted the Chief Minister not to accept Dharmana's resignation and also not sanction permission for his prosecution (by the CBI).

We wanted both the Chief Minister and PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana (who is also the state transport minister) to legally support Dharmana and four other ministers who are under the CBI scanner in the same case. We requested him not to accept Dharmana's resignation, state finance minister Ramanarayana Reddy told newsmen after the meeting with the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said that the Cabinet has constitutional, legal as well as moral responsibility. When its decisions are right, none will question. But the Cabinet should always be accountable to public, Yanamala observed.

PTI