India star resigns over Telangana

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Southern Indian film star Chiranjeevi has resigned from the Andhra Pradesh assembly in protest against moves to create a new state of Telangana.

Chiranjeevi starred in more than 100 films before starting his own political party Praja Rajyam Party.

Chiranjeevi and 15 of his party legislators have handed in their resignations to the state assembly.

Andhra Pradesh has been rocked by a political crisis after the decision to create Telangana was announced.

An estimated 35 million people will live in the new state, Telangana. It will be carved out from Andhra Pradesh's northern districts.

Dozens of members of the state assembly have already stepped down, while there have been violent demonstrations and strikes in southern and coastal areas.

Chiranjeevi's party had supported the demand for separate Telangana state before the elections earlier this year.

"But now we feel that the solution of the problem lies in a united Andhra Pradesh and not in the division," he said.

Chiranjeevi said the central government's announcement to allow Telangana state had evoked unexpected protests.

Protest fast

"No political party or leader expected this reaction. It is clear that the overwhelming majority of the people of the state are against the bifurcation of the state. They want to live together," he said.

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Separately, another film star from the state Mohan Babu has begun a protest fast against the Telangana state.

The demand for separate state status for the underdeveloped and drought-prone area of Telangana dates back 50 years. More than 400 people died in violence in 1969.

Campaigners say Telangana's economic development has been neglected in favour of the richer and more powerful Andhra region - and that a new state is the only solution.

The last three new states in India were formed in 2000: Chhattisgarh was created out of eastern Madhya Pradesh; Uttarakhand was created out of the hilly areas of northern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand was carved from Bihar's southern districts.