Opposition Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday said Chief Minister K Rosaiah should step down if he could not immediately halt "illegal" mining carried out by Karnataka Minister G Janardhana Reddy's Obulapuram Mining Company.

"You are turning a blind eye to the illegal mining activity by the company. You are unfit to be the Chief Minister if you can't stop the illegal mining even after the Central Empowered Committee gave clear instructions in this regard," TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu said at a press conference here.

Referring to the report submitted by the CEC to the Supreme Court, the TDP President wondered what was the state government still waiting for when the committee clearly recommended that all the mining activity along the Andhra-Karnataka border be suspended at once. "Do you want the Supreme Court also to give orders?"

The former Chief Minister said TDP would not hesitate to stop the trucks illegally shipping iron ore from Obulapuram to Krishnapatnam port for export.

Naidu said the mining mafia had bought over everyone and was dictating terms.

By helplessly weeping and failing to control the mining mafia, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa brought disgrace to his post. It was also shameful on part of the BJP to have succumbed to the mining mafia of Gali Janardhana Reddy, the TDP chief said.

Naidu demanded that the Centre immediately suspend all mining leases and permit only captive mining.

Meanwhile, Rosaiah asserted that the state government could not act on the report of the CEC. "Let the Supreme Court issue orders and we shall act accordingly," the Chief Minister said.