VIJAYAWADA: The opposition TDP, which has upper hand in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, forced the government to come up with an amendment to clause 12B of the Andhra Pradesh Schedule Castes Amendment Bill.
The YSRC government, which has absolute majority in the Assembly, has managed to pass 22 bills in the House during the Winter Session. However, with the opposition TDP forced amendment to the clause after the opposition gets majority in the voting in Council.
The government came up with two bills for formation of separate commissions for SC and STs.
TDP MLC Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad Rao demanded amendment to Clause 12 B relating to the categorisation of SCs and examine whether benefits intended for A, B, C, D category reaching them. However, with the government not ready to make the amendment, the TDP sought voting and got the majority, forcing the government to come up with the amendment. The government, now, will have to get the nod of the Assembly for the bill in the next session.
Earlier, Revenue Minister Pilli Subash Chandrabose and YSRC MLC Umareddy Venkateswarlu went to TDP floor leader in Council Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s chambers to seek the Opposition party’s cooperation in passing the Bills. Barring the Andhra Pradesh SC Amendment Bill, the TDP supported the government in passing of all the other bills.
The ruling YSR Congress that has 151 MLAs in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly, is in a minority in the 58-member Council with only nine MLCs. The TDP has 28 members in the Council.