The State Government on Wednesday had to bow to the demand of the Opposition parties to hold the Assembly session for a week as against the three days mooted by the Treasury benches.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s plan to have a short session did not fructify as opposition parties had their way. Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy announced plans for confining the session to three days. The TRS insisted on 15-day session while the TDP sought a minimum of 10 days even as Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Raj Narasimha suggested that the earlier precedence should be followed. Finally, it was decided that the Assembly would meet from December 12.
Congress leaders close to the Chief Minister tried to play down his absence from the meeting claiming it could be to avoid a showdown with other members. He reportedly told the Finance Minister to stick to the three-day schedule and if other parties insisted on more, it could be stretched to five or seven days.
YSR Congress leader Y. S. Vijayamma reportedly insisted on passage of a resolution in favour of united State. TDP representative E. Dayakar Rao, however, recalled that a resolution in favour of separate Telangana was passed during late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s regime.
YSR Congress deputy leader Shoba Nagi Reddy countered the claim citing late YSR had only made a statement. As the Government turned down the party request, the YSR Congress leaders walked out of the meeting.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin sought to know the Government’s response in the event of a no-confidence motion being tabled, but the Deputy Chief Minister termed such a situation as hypothetical. On the bifurcation Bill being referred to the House, Speaker Nadendla Manohar said he would convene a BAC meeting again to decide the agenda as and when the Bill comes up.
Meanwhile, the city police clamped prohibitory orders around the Legislature premises in view of the crucial winter session of the Assembly. Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anurag Sarma, accompanied by senior officials, reviewed the security arrangements.
Accordingly, meetings and rallies would not be allowed within the radius of 2 km of the Assembly premises while the use of public address systems had been prohibited.
The prohibitory orders would be enforced till December 18, the police said.
