VIJAYAWADA: For the first time, there is going to be a substantive discussion on the AP Reorganisation Act in the Lok Sabha, four years after the Bill was passed behind closed doors — something that some still believe to be “unconstitutional”.
The TDP, whose notice for no-confidence motion against the Modi government has made this long-awaited moment possible, is leaving no stone unturned to attract national attention to AP’s cause. CM N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday held talks with his party MPs twice to impress upon them the issues that need to be highlighted — from denial of special category status to the State to meagre allocations, unfulfilled promises and ineffective implementation of the Act.
He also went into a huddle with officials and directed them to go through financial calculations pertaining to Central assistance extended to the State and what was actually promised in the Act.
Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has also been rushed to New Delhi to educate the party MPs on the same so that they could voice the State government’s concerns in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas, who served the notice for the no-trust vote first and is set to open the debate, said the TDP has succeeded in attracting national attention and made light of fears that AP’s concerns could be drowned in the din that is certain to be raised by other Opposition parties on a whole host of other issues. “Time will be allocated to parties based on their relative numbers.
The TDP will get more time as my opening remarks will not be counted. Similarly, we will have the right to reply first after the PM’s reply to the debate. That also will not be counted in the time allocated to TDP. We will have ample time to highlight our concerns,” he explained. The party has issued a three-line whip to its MPs to be present in the House tomorrow and on Friday and support the motion of no-confidence. But late in the evening, Anantapur MP JC Diwakar Reddy gave a jolt to the party, announcing that he would stay away from the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Speaking to reporters, he opined that the debate was of no use and Modi government would not fall. “It’s just routine,” he remarked . The TDP leadership is learnt to be trying to cajole him to attend the session.
It’s important for the TDP to be seen as united at what could possibly be its finest hour this Parliament session. Actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena has no MPs either. As such the debate offers the TDP an opportunity to be the lone champion of AP in Parliament and silence critics like Pawan who have been repeatedly attacking it for remaining silent for the last four years when it was in an alliance with the BJP and taking a U-turn now. Expecting the debate to last for 10 hours, CM Naidu opined that members of the TDP may get opportunity.
