Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Wednesday announced his decision to step down from the post citing personal reasons.

“I have decided to resign, I am submitting my resignation to the state Governor and I will request him to accept it immediately,” 77-year-old Rosaiah announced at a crowded press conference in the State Secretariat on Wednesday.

He cited personal reasons for his resignation while stating that “there are no political reasons behind it”.

The resignation comes hours before the Congress Legislature Party in Hyderabad to discuss the telecast of a programme by rebel MP Jaganmohan Reddy owned Sakshi TV criticising Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The meeting will be attended by Union ministers Pranab Mukherkee and M Veerappa Moily, who is in-charge of Congress affairs in the state.

Roasaiah’s resignation was his personal decision: Moily

Congress said the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah was his personal decision and insisted that the party government in the state was stable.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily said Rosaiah met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and requested her to relieve him from the post after which the go-ahead for his resignation was given.

“Our Government in Andhra Pradesh is stable. There is no question about instability,” he told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday, moments after Rosaiah submitted his resignation to Governor E S L Narasimhan.

“Our Chief Minister wanted to relinquish the post and had met the Congress President. Today after considering everything, the Congress President gave consent for his resignation,” Moily, who is also in-charge of party affairs in the state, said.

Congress Media Department chairman Janardhan Dwivedi said Rosaiah was not summoned and that he had come on his own to Delhi on Tuesday.

“He had come on his own and expressed willingness to resign citing some personal reasons. Today, he was informed that his resignation has been accepted,” he said on Wednesday.