Telangana leaders to petition President against Kiran

Seemandhra Congress leaders gearing up for debate

Aggrieved by the adjournment of the Legislature till January 3, Telangana Ministers and elected representatives plan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and lodge a complaint against Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for resorting to delaying tactics on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013.

Elected representatives from Telangana are irked by the long gap between the next two sittings of the Legislature.

‘Kiran delaying matters’

At a meeting Deputy Chief Minister C.Damodar Raja Narasimha had with Ministers Danam Nagender and M. Mukesh Goud and the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) vice-president Md. Ali Shabbir at his residence on Friday, it was decided that a delegation of T-Ministers, MPs and legislators should meet the President and complain how the Chief Minister was using all possible means to delay a debate on bifurcation Bill.

“We will meet all the T-Ministers immediately and seek appointment with the President. Minister K.Jana Reddy is away in New Delhi and once he returns, we will discuss the issue again and formally approach the President,” Mr. Shabbir Ali told The Hindu .

They plan to emphasise that there was no meaning in opposing and delaying the debate on the Bill, when it came from the President’s office.

Seemandhra leaders plan debate

Meanwhile, Seemandhra Congress leaders are gearing up for debate with focus on opposing the Bill.

Minister for Primary Education S.Sailajanath said they would highlight the lacunae in the Bill.

He said when a Bill is sent to State Legislature, it should contain aims and objectives and conclusions.

“In this case, there was no such mention,” he said adding that the suggestion in the Bill that sharing of river water would be handled by a central Board was itself objectionable.

“Sharing of river water is a State subject and Centre can not interfere in it,” he added.

No scope forcommon capital

He said Seemandhra leaders would object to the usage of the term common capital.

“There is no such word in the Constitution of India,” he said pointing out that Article 371 (D) itself was a crucial issue that could stall bifurcation.

He said all the Seemandhra leaders were planning to submit affidavits opposing division.