VIJAYAWADA: TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has said that the TDP will restore the AP Legislative Council if the YSRC government abolishes it, once the party returns to power.
The YSRC government seems to be contemplating abolishing the Council going by the assertion by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that the Upper House did not deserve to exist if it rejects important Bills.
Interestingly, it was TDP founder NT Rama Rao, who abolished the Council in combined Andhra Pradesh in 1985 and it was restored by YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Jagan’s father, in 2007. Why the government was waiting for three days for Assembly debate if it wants to abolish the Council, Naidu asked.
“Is it planing to threaten the MLCs to fall in line and resort to horse-trading. After making tall claims that he will not accept leaders from other parties and maintain values in politics, what is the Chief Minister doing now?” the TDP chief sought to know.
"In a humilation to the Chief Minister, the Council sent the Decentralisation Bill to the select committee. This is democracy. No one except your MLAs is afraid of you (Jagan). Even if you adopt a resolution seeking abolition of the Council and send it to the Centre, it is not mandatory for the Centre to approve it. The Bill was referred to the select committee and the Advocate General filed an affidavit in the High Court stating that the outcome is yet to arrive. The question of shifting the secretariat will not arise until then," the TDP chief said, while addressing a press conference here on Friday. Defending his presence in the Council gallery, he said he felt it was not right to confine himself to his room under such circumstances.
"Notwithstanding the fact that I was chief minister for 14 years, an advisor and a marshal asked me to leave the gallery. I will do so if the Council chairman says so. I always follow the norms. Because of that, I handed over my mobile phone immediately after the staff asked for it. The YSRC leaders threw water bottles and papers and abused the Council Chairman and his family members in filthy language and behaved like street rowdies. The ministers even resorted to attack him in his chambers. What was his mistake?" Naidu asked.
Taking a dig at the claim of the Chief Minister that there were eminent persons in the Assembly itself, Naidu alleged that those in the YSRC were not experts, but notorious criminals. "There are criminal cases against 86 MLAs (57%), serious criminal cases against 58 MLAs (33%), murder case against an MLA, attempt to murder cases against 10 MLAs and kidnap cases against seven MLAs," he said, to buttress his claim.
"Why did you (Jagan) mention three capitals (Legislative, Executive and Judicial) in your Bill if there is no ‘Capital’ word in the Constitution. Do you want to locate the capital at Idupulapaya and sit near the grave of your father?" Naidu asked. Naidu said except in the case of Article 169, there should be no discussion in the Assembly over the proceedings in the Council.
TDP delegation calls on Governor
A TDP delegation, led by Chandrababu Naidu, called on Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and urged him to take action against the “unprecedented’ and undemocratic” conduct of the Speaker in the Assembly.
In a memorandum, the TDP leaders also sought action against the Council of Ministers, ruling party MLAs and MLCs for degrading the sanctity of the Assembly and Council and misusing Section 144 of and Section 30 of police act.