Move seen as Andhra Pradesh CM Kiran’s last-ditch effort to stall state bifurcation.
Hyderabad: Having reconciled to the fact that there will be no extension of deadline for the debate on the Telangana Bill beyond January 30, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has decided to insist on both clause-wise voting of the Bill and a resolution against bifurcation of the state in the House.
The Chief Minister made this clear to his close confidantes with whom he had exhaustive discussions over the last two days.
Kiran Kumar Reddy is of the opinion that if these two things are done at the Assembly level, it will not be easy for the Central government to proceed with the bifurcation process as there are chances that the President and the Supreme Court may intervene once they know that the concerned state legislature has rejected the bifurcation.
There are also speculations that the Chief Minister might announce his resignation in the Assembly after “defeating” the Telangana Bill successfully.
Meanwhile, with the intentions of the Chief Minister’s camp loud and clear, the YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam legislators from the Seemandhra region have given a series of notices to Assembly Speaker N. Manohar for allowing them to move private member resolutions against the bifurcation.
Even on Friday, legislators of both parties came in groups and handed over the notices to the Speaker who merely said that he would look into them.
According to sources close to the Chief Minister, the legislative affairs minister has already been asked by him to prepare for moving an “official resolution” against the bifurcation.
Next page: Delhi bahut door hai, says CM
Delhi bahut door hai, says CM
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy commented “Delhi bahut door hai”?when asked about his Delhi visit on Friday after the Assembly adjourned for the day.
Congress high command had summoned the Chief Minister and PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana to Delhi to discuss the list of Rajya sabha candidates. Mr Satyanarayana left for Delhi on Friday.
Asked about his Delhi visit, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy commented “Delhi bahut door hai (Delhi is far away).” He also informed AICC general-secretary Digvijaya Singh on Friday that he would not be coming to Delhi as key discussions are going on in the Assembly on Telangana Bill.
Next page: House set for high T
House set for high T
With five working days left for the Assembly to debate on the T-Bill, and with the Legislators emotionally surcharged, lobby sources said that it would be stormy sittings from Monday till January 30, on which date the deadline expires.
The Chief Minister’s camp, which is in touch with Constitutional experts in Delhi, has been clearly told that unless the Assembly rejects the Bill by a majority and also passes a resolution against bifurcation, it is not possible to halt the T-process once the Bill returns to Delhi.
Meanwhile, cutting across party lines, all Telangana legislators, including ministers, have decided to stall such moves like passing a resolution and clause-wise voting. They will be telling the Speaker that he should adjourn the House immediately after he announces that the debate is concluded and not entertain anything else.
They have also decided to troop to the Well of the House so as not to allow any other business to take place.
According to sources close to the Speaker, if there is to be clause-wise voting as being demanded by the members, he needs at least three days to complete the business apart from the time allotted for debate. But the present mood of the House is to allow maximum number of members to speak on the Bill and register their voice for or against bifurcation.
“In case members insist that they should talk till January 30, then where is the question of taking up clause-wise voting?” asked a source.
( Source : dc )
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