Hyderabad, Dec 17 (IANS) : Bowing to pressure from his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) leaders in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi Wednesday decided to resign from the assembly.

Chiranjeevi, who represents Tirupati assembly constituency in Rayalaseema region, will announce his resignation in the temple town Thursday and join the movement against the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh, PRP leader K. Vidyadhar Rao said.

The actor, who hails from coastal Andhra region, has done a volte-face on the issue of separate Telangana state and decided to join "samaikya Andhra" or United Andhra movement.

Ever since launching his party at Tirupati last year, Chiranjeevi had been supporting the demand for a separate Telangana state.

Fourteen of PRP's 18 legislators from Andhra and Rayalaseema have already submitted their resignations to the assembly speaker, opposing the central government's decision to initiate the process for the formation of Telangana state.

Since 16 legislators of the party are from the two regions, Chiranjeevi has decided to sail with the majority view.

Earlier in the day, protesting Chiranjeevi's decision, three presidents of the district units of the party in Telangana resigned from the party while both the legislators of the party from Telangana have also threatened to quit.