In a significant development, the Seemandhra legislators who remained a divided lot so far have decided to form a coordination committee for putting up a united front in the Legislature, emulating their Telangana counterparts.
Seemandhra legislators from Congress, TDP and YSR Congress parties were brought on to a platform by the AP Secretariat Seemandhra Employees’ Association by organising a round-table conference to discuss the present political situation in the State. Ministers S. Sailajanath, N. Raghuveera Reddy, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, T.G. Venkatesh, Vatti Vasantha Kumar, E. Pratap Reddy were among others who attended.
Though there were divergent opinions among the Seemandhra legislators on how to tackle the issue of AP Reorganisation Bill and debate on it in the Assembly, they were unanimous in forming a coordination panel, to oppose the clauses in the bill and to approach the President with affidavits against bifurcation of the State. They also discussed about moving the Supreme Court once the Bill was introduced in Parliament.
The YSR Congress legislators were firm on their stand that debate on the Bill be allowed to be taken up in both the Houses only after adopting resolutions in favour of united Andhra Pradesh.
However, there were few takers for the idea in the Congress and TDP as the Congress legislators were in favour of participating in the debate to highlight the people’s concerns while the TDP suggested allowing debate only after the members were given sufficient information.
Briefing mediapersons on the conference later, president of the employees’ association U. Muralikrishna said they had succeeded in bringing together all Seemandhra legislators who were a divided house hitherto.
He claimed that over 140 legislators attended the meeting and expressed opinions. The participants had stated that they would discuss the decisions taken here in their parties and take a decision.
Mr. Muralikrishna stated that the meeting had adopted resolutions asking the legislators to vote against the bill during the division on clauses, to facilitate debate, to act in coordination in both the Houses and to take a delegation to the President with affidavits against bifurcation.
