The Hindu : Drought may dominate Assembly proceedings

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 11, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Drought may dominate Assembly proceedings

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Nov. 10. The Legislative Assembly begins its brief monsoon session on Monday amid the continuing shadow of the drought.

After the customary breakfast hosted by the Speaker, Mrs. K. Prathibha Bharati, to the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, his colleagues and the floor leaders, the House will meet at 9:30 a.m. to take up question hour and condolence motions in respect of 5 former members, K. Ramachandra Reddy, Eti Vijayalakshmi, G. Madhava Reddy, P. Kishan Rao, and K. Bheem Rao. There is a distinct possibility of including the name of Mohd. Amanullah Khan, president of the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) and ex-MLA from Chandrayanagutta in City, who died early on Sunday.

It will adjourn for the day after introduction of a few bills by the Government.

The House is expected to sit for 10 working days. The actual number of days and the agenda for the period will be decided at the Business Advisory Committee meeting. The Government view is to have the sitting for 10 days to bring the total number of days in the calendar year to 50, though falling short of the opposition demand for at least 60 days.

No major developments have taken place in the State since the last sitting in July, yet these issues continue to dominate the politics and the concerns of the common man.

The Opposition parties have identified a number of issues to highlight and put the Government on the mat. Like "total failure'' to tackle the drought challenge, "rampant corruption,'' irregularities in the implementation of food-for-work, "deteriorating law and order'' situation, "the unkept'' promises of the Chief Minister, inter-state water sharing, injustice to Telangana in irrigation and service matters, etc.

The Leader of the Opposition, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who returned from a sabbatical in Malaysia this evening, hosted a dinner to leaders of the CPI(M), Majlis and the TRS in a move to achieve closer floor coordination during the session. The Congress Legislature Party will meet on Monday.

For its part, the Government is unduly worried over opposition strategy and is ready to face it, according to the Telugu Desam Legislature Party sources. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu asked the Ministers and the party whips and senior legislators to anticipate issues that the Opposition might raise to corner the Government and counter them effectively through sound preparation.

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