Barring a last moment switching of loyalties, the one-year-old Kiran Kumar Reddy government may survive the no confidence motion tabled by Telugu Desam in the Assembly and supported by other Opposition parties, notably YSR Congress.
After the Congress high command managed to broker peace with the sulking Praja Rajyam late on Sunday night and made the 18 MLA-strong party to issue a whip, the ruling party secured its survival.
It was already assured of support from the seven-member MIM, after Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy promised the Greater Hyderabad Mayorship to that party.
With one independent too extending his support, the Kiran Kumar Reddy government was sitting pretty with the support of 157 MLAs as against 130 by TDP-led Opposition parties and Congress rebels.
But all through the day, suspense was in the air in the lobbies even as the House began a marathon debate on the no trust motion at 9 a.m.
This was mainly because of the initial wavering attitude of the Congress MLAs openly supporting Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy's leadership. Despite tenacious attempts by the Congress camp to “counsel” them, the pro-Jagan MLAs, numbering 19 in addition to YSR Congress MLA Y.S. Vijayamma, expressed determination to vote against the government.
The debate itself was acrimonious with Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu and the Chief Minister exchanging barbs accusing each other of wrongdoing. Mr. Naidu went hammer and tongs on the way the government claiming itself to be ‘pro-farmer', neglected agriculture sector leading to spate of suicides. His party had no option but to move no trust motion.
TRS floor leader E. Rajender stuck to his party's single-point agenda of Telangana and said it was supporting the motion as the Congress has failed to redeem its promise of creating separate State. Making debut, Ms. Vijayamma said it was unfortunate that she had to oppose a government formed by her husband, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Side drama
As operation cajoling rebel Congress MLAs was on in a Minister's chambers, a side drama was unfolding in the lobbies on the Opposition side. There was speculation over the stand to be taken by senior pro-Telangana TDP MLAs, S. Venugopala Chary and K. Harishwar Reddy till they clarified that they would support the party's motion. The third TDP MLA, Balanagi Reddy's case became interesting.
A sworn Jagan loyalist, he would be voting in favour of TDP's no trust motion.
