Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has virtually thrown up his hands on the rejection of roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao’s resignation, stating that he would go by the directions of the party high command in this regard.

Kiran told a group of 22 ministers who met him at the camp office on Tuesday that he would bring the anguish of the cabinet colleagues to the notice of the high command, but would not be able to take independent decisions.

“I cannot assure you on the rejection of the resignation. If the high command asks me to accept the resignation, I would have no option but to forward the letter to Governor E S L Narasimhan. In the first place, Dharmana should not have resigned at all,” he said.

The ministers suggested that the Chief Minister could defer the decision on Dharmana’s resignation on the ground that the matter was referred to the law department.

“It would help us buy the time. Take the opinion of all legal experts instead of going hastily,” they said.