Even as Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy denied to have written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking extension of time to continue the debate on Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Bill 2013 in Assembly and Council, speculations are rife that Kiran sought one month time for the purpose.
Interestingly, on the other hand, Chief Secretary P K Mohanty today called on Assembly Speaker N Manohar reportedly to debate on Telangana Draft Bill. They said to have discussed on seeking extension of time for debating the Telangana Bill. The meeting assumes importance as the mood of the Assembly was ambiguous on seeking time. While Telangana Congress leaders and those demanding statehood are against extension of time for eliciting opinion, their Seemandhra peers are demanding more time to debate the bill.
On the other hand, the Chief Minister is planning to stall the bill by delaying the debate on the bifurcation draft bill. Interacting media persons at lobbies after Assembly was adjourned for next Monday, Chief Minister said he did not a write a letter seeking extension of time to the President Pranab Mukherjee. When some scribes asked for more details, Kiran refused to comment but said he is yet to write a letter in this regard. However, he did not clarify whether he would write a letter or not seeking more time for debate. The Chief Minister is yet to prepare himself on the issue.
Another argument is that Kiran is not showing interest in writing a letter for more time, as it will not deter the party high command from bifurcating the State. It may be written if the Chief Minister so desires and to convince the Seemandhra leaders. He is understood to have prepared a letter of about 22 pages to seek at least one month time till February 23 from January 23, when the deadline concludes. Actually the views of the Assembly are supposed to be sent to the President by January 23. While the Centre is against to give more time, it may consider ten-day extension from January 23 as it would not come in the way of the bill to be passed in Parliament whose session will begin on February 5 and ends on February 21.
The Chief Minister is of a view that one month time extension will help implement his plan to delay the debate and stall the bill. However, the Centre is not budging on the issue as the matter will be seized of by it by January 23 night itself. The Centre will then focus to expedite the bill and pass the same in Parliament session during February session. The Congress leaders feel that President Pranab Mukherjee may not extend time to continue the debate.
Meanwhile, TRS Chief K Chandrasekhara Rao opined that time extension will not hamper Telangana interests. KCR is understood to have told his party leaders not to be panicky as the letter will not come in the way of the bill from getting passed in Parliament. The Congress high command will keep its promise and give statehood to the region, he reportedly said. The Telangana Political JAC, on the other hand, flayed the idea of extension of time which will be opposed stiffly. (NSS)
