VIJAYAWADA: Ahead of the crucial Cabinet’s decision on abolition of the Legislative Council, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana has said it is people who should decide whether they need it or not.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Sunday, he said the entire State witnessed what occurred in the Council and how the crucial Decentralisation of Governance and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill and the Repeal of the Capital Region Development Bill that were passed in the Assembly, were stalled in the Council by referring them to select committee. The TDP members had violated the rules of the Council for political reasons, he said.
Botcha said the TDP government abolished the Council in 1983 as it lacked a majority in the House at that time. Now that it has a majority in the Council, the TDP does not want its abolition. “The reason for the proposal to abolish the Council is that it is being used for political motives instead of serving its purpose,” he said.
Denying reports that YSRC tried to influence TDP MLCs and offered them money, Botcha said the party which has 151 members in the Assembly and bound to get a majority in the Council in the coming days, has no need to resort to such things.
“On the very first day of Assembly, our leader Jagan Mohan Reddy has made it clear that he is against defections. If we wanted to get TDP MLAs, we could do it in just 10 hours. It is the style of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who resorted to such things earlier,” he said.
The Municipal Administration Minister maintained that Naidu is least bothered about the future of his party members, what he is more worried about is his son’s political career. Lokesh’s political career will come to an end with the abolition of the Council, he said.
Speaking to mediapersons, Advisor (Public Affairs) to Government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the two crucial Bills will eventually get passed, if not today, two months later. “However, the reason for insisting a debate on the issue by our leader is the way the institution is being misused. The Council is not a directly elected body and its duty is only supportive in nature to the Assembly wherein its members can make suggestions,” he said. Just because TDP has the majority in the Council, Naidu had instigated his members to stall the two Bills passed in the Assembly,” he pointed out.
Refuting the charge of luring TDP MLCs with money by the ruling YSRC, he said the party does not need to do it. “What we heard from their MLCs is that Naidu is desperate to stall the abolition of the Council by colluding with the BJP leadership,” he said.
Dismissing Naidu’s claim of Amaravati being a dream capital as a mere graphic illusion created to hoodwink people, Sajjala said the TDP chief only knows money, media and manipulation. “He always wants to take the system into his grip and dictate terms. People are well aware of it and rejected him,” he said. The YSRC leader reiterated Jagan’s commitment to the development of the State on all fronts and welfare of people.
Governor’s meeting with Tammineni, Shariff assumes significance
VIJAYAWADA: Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan’s one-to-one meeting with Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram and Legislative Council Chairman MA Shariff ahead of the crucial Assembly session on Monday, where the proposal to abolish the Legislative Council is slated for discussion, assumes significance.
On Friday, a TDP delegation led by Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, met the Governor and submitted a memorandum to him. Naidu, in his memorandum, described the recent developments in the Assembly as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘undemocratic’ and sought the Governor’s intervention in the matter.
On Saturday evening, Tammineni met the Governor and briefed him about the developments in the Assembly. On Sunday morning, Shariff briefed the Governor about the happenings in the Legislative Council when the Decentralisation of Governance and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill and the Repeal of APCRDA Bill came up for discussion. The Governor’s meeting with the Assembly Speaker and the Council Chairman has set political circles abuzz.
Send names for select panels, Council chief asks party whips
VIJAYAWADA: Even as the YSRC government is moving towards abolition of the Legislative Council for stalling the crucial Decentralisation of Governance and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill and the Repeal of the Capital Region Development Bill by referring them to select committees, Council Chairman MA Shariff has asked the political parties having representation in the Council to give the names of their representatives for constituting two select committees for the two Bills.
Apart from the ruling YSRC and Opposition TDP, the Council has members representing BJP and People’s Democratic Front (PDF). As per the strength of the party, their representation in the select committee will be decided. With the YSRC, BJP and PDF having nine, two and five members respectively, they will get a share of one member each in the committee.
Five members from TDP will have representation in each select committee. Shariff sent a communique to the whips of all the parties to send the names of their members for the constitution of select committees.