Debate on AP divide likely tomorrow

After stalling a debate on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 for two days, members of both Assembly and Council showed signs of discussing it from Monday.

In a major political development on Saturday, legislators from all parties met Council Chairman A Chakrapani and said they would cooperate for a debate.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who continues to seek a united Andhra Pradesh, ruled out a separate resolution on Samaikyandhra (united Andhra Pradesh) in the Assembly, as demanded by the Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party.

“If it is done so, there is no possibility of President Pranab Mukherjee accepting the resolution,” the chief minister told reporters during an informal briefing in his chamber at the Assembly.

“No where in the country is a new state formed without voting on the bill in Assembly. If a majority of the legislators oppose it, the bill will be automatically rejected,” he said. Reddy appealed to legislators of all political parties to participate in discussion.

“Whatever they want to say on the bill, let them say it inside the Assembly.” Extending the session beyond  January 23 will be discussed only after the debate starts on Monday, he added.

However, Seemandhra legislators are preparing to demand a Samaikyandhra resolution in the House. YSR Congress legislators have also demanded this from the start.
According to Article 3 of the Constitution, Parliament needs to seek an opinion from a state’s legislature before dividing it. This could be in the form of a resolution passed by Andhra Pradesh lawmakers.

Seemandhra legislators from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said they wanted the AP Reorganisation Bill to be sent back to the Centre for corrections after the state government identified about 20 problems in it.

In their opinion, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy should provide all the information sought by members for the debate because he is the leader of the Assembly.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader Etela Rajender asked Speaker Nadendla Manohar to take action against the protesting Seemandhra members by suspending them before the debate.