New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) After a protest rally, scores of lawyers from Telangana Monday surrounded Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy here and demanded his resignation from the central government to express solidarity with the cause of a new state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

"Many of our friends gheraoed the urban development minister at the Travancore House, where he was attending a function," S. Krishnan, a lawyer who originally hails from Hyderabad, told IANS.

"The lawyers demanded that Mr Reddy should resign from the central government as he belongs to Telangana. He has no moral right to continue when he cannot do anything for the region," Krishnan added.

He said that though police "jumped into action" after lawyers surrounded him, the minister stopped police from taking any action. "Finally police escorted the minister out of the place."

"The lawyers are returning Tuesday but will keep the pressure on," Krishnan added.

The lawyers were not allowed by police to hold a candle light march near India Gate.

"Police told us we need to submit an application at least one week in advance as it needs to be processed by the ministry of home affairs."

Earlier in the day, hundreds of lawyers from Telangana staged a protest rally Monday in the national capital demanding statehood for the region and tried to enter the parliament annexe, police said.

Holding placards with messages such as "Lathi, goli khayenge, Telanagana le jaayenge" (we will suffer baton and bullets but will take Telangana) and shouting "Jai Telangana", men and women dressed in their black and white lawyers' attire gathered at Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital and voiced their demands.

The protest was timed to coincide with the opening day of the budget session of parliament