Kiran shoots off another letter to President

Assembly, Council rocked by Telangana, Seemandhra MLAs protests

HYDERABAD: 21/12/2013. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Kiran Kumar Reddy addressing huge gathering during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of National Institute for Micro Small and Medium Enterprise held in its campus in Yousufguda in Hyderabad on Saturday. Photo: Mohammed_Yousuf.

For the second time in a fortnight, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has written to the President Pranab Mukherjee seeking three more weeks to complete the debate on the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013.

Mr. Reddy told reporters here on Tuesday that he also wanted the Bill that would be tabled in Parliament with complete information, including statements, should be sent to the Assembly first.

“I am not bothered about whether the Bill sent to us is duplicate or original. All that I have been asking is whether it has come with all the particulars. The question is whether the rules of procedures have been followed according to Article 3 while referring the Bill to AP Legislature,” he said.

In a related development, Seemandhra Ministers and MLAs wrote separate letters to the President saying that so far only 80 MLAs in the Assembly participated in the debate . More than 200 members are yet to speak on the Bill.

Assembly in turmoil

Mr. Kiran Reddy’s letter came on a day capped by turmoil in the Assembly and the Council once again with Telangana and Seemandhra legislators disrupting the proceedings in both the Houses.

Demanding rejection of the Chief Minister’s notice for moving of the resolution for returning the Bill, Congress MLAs from Telangana, including Government Chief Whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, trooped into the well and raised slogans against Mr. Kiran Reddy. Seemandhra MLAs also rushed into the well and raised slogans.

As complete bedlam prevailed in the House, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day and convened a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting.

In the Council, Chairman A. Chakrapani ended the sitting for the day after two adjournments failed to cool down tempers of the legislators from Telangana and Seemandhra, who thronged the well and raised slogans.

The Telangana MLCs rushed to the well and raised slogans demanding withdrawal of notice given by Leader of the House C. Ramachandraiah for a resolution to reject the draft Bill. They were countered by members from the TDP, YSR Congress and Congress.