Hyderabad: Both the state Assembly and Legislative Council will resume sessions from Friday to discuss the Telangana Bill. But it seems unlikely that any meaningful discussions will take place, and the disruptions that were witnessed in the first phase of the Assembly Session are likely to be repeated.
The Telugu Desam, YSR Congress and the AP Non-Gazetted Officers’ associations have called for a bandh on Friday to oppose the state’s division.
The YSR Congress has announced that its members will stall proceedings in the Assembly until such time as a resolution is passed in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh.
Seemandhra TD members will follow the same route.
The Telangana members will oppose any such resolution, arguing that when they wanted to pass a resolution in favour of a separate state of Telangana, since 2009, they were not permitted to do so.
Another controversial issue is whether the Telangana Bill was introduced in the house or not.
The Telangana members said it was introduced and a discussion has started. But Seemandhra members, including Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, said that the Bill was tabled in the House but not introduced.
The Chief Minister said in a press conference a few days ago that the Telangana Bill should be introduced by the government. In these circumstances, if the new legislative affairs minister, S. Sailajanath, tries to introduce the Telangana Bill, Telangana members will object.
According to sources, voting will be allowed on each clause of the Telangana Bill.
If the members arrive at a unanimous opinion, the Speaker may allow for voting, but there will be no chance of voting on the Bill.
Advani, Sushma assure BJP’s support to T Bill
Hyderabad: With the BJP’s top brass deciding to support the Telangana Bill, it now appears that the passing of the Bill in the special session of Parliament, sometime in the first week of February, will be a smooth affair.
On Thursday, BJP leader L.K. Advani and national Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj made it clear that the party has agreed in principle to support the Telangana Bill.
“Since the Winter Session of Parliament has not been prorogued yet, I think the Parliament will sit in the first week of February, and the Telangana Bill might be introduced,” Advani told newsmen in New Delhi.
Speaking at the residence of Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, both Advani and Sushma Swaraj said the party had already committed itself to the Telangana cause and there was no going back on it
On Wednesday, two Union ministers Jaipal Reddy and Jairam Ramesh had said the UPA was planning to convene the special session in February first week.
BJP national president Rajnath Singh has said the party would insist on seeking special package or protection for Seemandhra region during the debate on the Telangana Bill.
This stand was taken by the BJP national leadership to satisfy some BJP leaders.
Seemandhra BJP leaders have said that the Telangana Bill should not be passed without addressing their concerns.
The Telangana Draft Bill, which has reached the Assembly and the Legislative Council, will have to be returned by January 27. In case the UPA is planning to hold a special session commencing from February 3, the home ministry needs to complete the formalities between January 27 and February 3 at super speed.
Formalities include sending the Draft Bill along with the opinions of two Legislative houses to the President, getting Cabinet approval with any changes that it recommends incorporated, getting the President’s approval to introduce it in either house of Parliament, and finally introducing the Bill.
