Chandrababu Naidu for sending back defective Telangana Bill to President

Hyderabad: On Saturday, Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu pitched for returning the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013 to the President of India as it was “defective”?on many counts and bifurcation of the state was being done solely for “political gain.”

Naidu, who promised to come clean on his stance on the Telangana Bill on Monday, said the government should seek legal opinion from luminaries outside the state instead of the Advocate General over the “defective”?Bill including clarification on whether it’s a draft bill or an original bill.

“Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy should have returned the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013 to the President for rectification when he found it to be defective. Why are you finding fault after 23 days? You have the right to send back the Bill,”?he remarked.

He further said, “We are not ready to discuss a defective Bill. We cannot mortgage our powers and that of the Assembly.” Naidu said whether it was in the Assembly or Parliament, the Chief Minister, Speaker, Prime Minister or President, everyone has to follow constitutional norms. “It is our duty to protect the Constitution. You should remember Centre used Article 356 to sack NTR. But we forced Centre to reinstate NTR. We have to protect our rights,”?he said.

Naidu went into a combative mood after the Chief Minister said that the Bill was defective. “People made fun of me on bifurcation. Everyone targeted me. What is happening is a violation of Constitution. The Chief Minister’s speech indicates he is helpless.

The state, the Assembly, the Parliament, the President and the Prime Minister have power, but there are limitations too. Ours is a quasi-federal union. We have to think about the good of people. Those who implement authority should be apolitical,”?he said. Party sources said that Telugu Desam MLAs will raise the issue in the Assembly and the Council on Monday.