AP Assembly Budget session from tomorrow; likely to be stormy

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly’s Budget session beginning tomorrow is likely to be stormy in view of eight Opposition YSR Congress MLAs switching loyalty to ruling TDP, and war of words between the two parties over alleged land deals in capital city region.

The session would have 18 working days, Speaker K Sivaprasad Rao said here yesterday.

The Budget is expected to be presented on March 10. The YSR Congress is seething with anger following eight of its MLAs crossing over to the TDP and its MLA RK Roja suspended for one year in the last session for her alleged unparliamentary comments against ruling party members, including Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

YSRC deputy leader in the Assembly, Jyothula Nehru, had said they might move a no-confidence motion if the state Budget is not satisfactory.

“The TDP government so far failed to keep its promises and has been adopting anti-people policies. If the Budget is not satisfactory, we will move a no-confidence motion against the government. We may also move a no-confidence motion against Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao,” Nehru said after a meeting of the YSRC Legislature Party on March 1.

Some YSRC members feel that this can build a strong legal case against its MLAs who switched over to the ruling party. By moving a no-confidence motion, the YSRC gets to issue a whip to its MLAs, and whoever violates it will be liable for disqualification.

The TDP and YSRC have been engaged in a war of words, with the latter alleging that ruling party leaders have purchased lands “illegally” in the capital city region of Amaravati by “misusing” power. The YSRC has also sought a probe in its allegations.

The YSRC also charged the TDP government with having failed to implement its poll promises like loan waivers for farmers, women self-help groups and doles to unemployed youth.

The TDP failed to get the promises, including special status, railway zone at Visakhapatnam, bridging the revenue deficit, made to it by the Centre during state bifurcation in 2014, the Opposition party has alleged.