Hyderabad: The AP legislature will witness one of its most historic days on Thursday when the debate on AP Reorganisation Bill 2013 will conclude.
It may also be one of the most fractious days in the House, with Seemandhra legislators pressing for Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s notice for a resolution to be accepted and voted upon and Telangana MLAs objecting to it.
With the President’s office giving no indication till Wednesday evening of granting a further extension of three weeks as sought by the Chief Minister the original deadline of 42 days was extended by a week on January 23 the session is most likely to end amid bedlam and an incomplete debate.
Giving an indication of things to come, Seemandhra MLAs belonging to the Telugu Desam and the YSR Congress were evicted late at night from the Assembly, where they were staging a dharna seeking to keep AP undivided, and the passing of the Chief Minister’s resolution.
Telangana TD MLAs staged protests at Gun Park urging Speaker Nadendla Manohar to reject the Chief Minister’s resolution and ensure smooth passage of the Bill.
Security has been further tightened at the Assembly after some Seemandhra MLAs feared that they would be bodily harmed, but Telangana MLAs dismissed the fears as unfounded.
Legislature secretary Dr S. Rajasadaram told this correspondent that 86 MLAs have participated in the discussion on the Telangana Bill till date. The House discussed the Bill for 56 hours. “We will provide complete details after the session ends,” he said.
The Speaker has received over 9,000 amendments to the Bill, it is learnt.
The Assembly session was convened in two spells, from January 3 to 10 and January 16 to 23, and was later extended till January 30. Both sessions witnessed unprecedented scenes except on a few days. The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, ministers and MLAs had different takes on the issue.
Next: Speaker asks MLAs for written opinions
Speaker asks MLAs for written opinions
Hyderabad: Over half-a-dozen ministers belonging to Tela-ngana under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasamha opposing the CM’s resolution, staged an unprecedented dharna in front of the Speaker’s podium for the first time in the history of state Legis-lature.
The Chief Minister termed the Bill saying as defective and full of mistakes. He said it deserved to be rejected. He also questioned whether the status of the Bill whether it was a draft or the original document and finally issued notice for a resolution to reject the Bill.
Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu was unable to speak like many others barring an intervention where he demanded that the “defective” Bill be returned to the Pre-sident.
The Speaker, who had a harrowing time trying to conduct the session and pacifying MLAs from both reg-ion, sought written opi-nions of MLAs who could not speak.
“I could not get a chance to speak. I gave a written opinion to the Speaker suggesting certain amendments including reducing the period of common capital of Hyd-erabad to three years instead of 10 years besi-des removing Governor’s control of some departments including law and order. I have sought Telangana with 10 districts and Hydera-bad as capital without any riders,” minister for major industries J. Geetha Reddy told this correspondent.
TRS deputy floor lea-der T. Harish Rao also gave a written opinion and suggested several amendments along wi-th several other MLAs.
Legislature sources say all written opinions along with the number of days and hours the Assembly discussed the bill would be sent to President along with the Bill. “Telangana Bill will go away from the state in the next 24 hours,” Gandra Venkat-aramana Reddy, Gover-nment Chief Whip remarked.
