Amidst an electrified political atmosphere prevailing in the state on the contentious Telangana issue, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy remained confident that Andhra Pradesh would not be bifurcated at any const.
He asserted this to the Seemandhra ministers who had called on him in his chambers in the Assembly premises on Wednesday. He pointed out that Article 371 ( D) has to be amended before the division takes place and this was clearly indicated in the draft A. P. State Reorganization Bill, 2013.
The Chief Minister also indicated his game plan to derail the Bill by reminding his cabinet colleagues from Seemandhra region that a discussion and voting on each and every clause shou;d take place when the Bill comes up for discussion in the House.
Kiran Kumar Reddy was also confident that all the Congress members from the Seemandhra region would remain united and none can bring a split among them in their struggle and commitment for keeping the e state united.
The Ministers Telangana region too called on the Chief Minister and appealed to him to ensure that the T Bill is taken up discussion in the Assembly at the earliest. When the Congress MLCs from Telangana met him in the Legislative Council and reiterated the same demand, he informed that the Business Advisory Committee would take a decision as to when the Bill would be taken up for discussion in both the Houses of the legislature. He also informed the MLAs that the copies of the draft bill would be made available to them today.
The Telugu Desam members from Seemamndhra met Speaker Nadendla Manohar in his chambers and urged him not to introduce the Bill in the Assembly in haste. The Deputy Floor leader of TRS Harish Rao wanted the Speaker to direct the Chief Secretary to immediately make available the copies of the draft bill to the legislators as directed by the President of India
Expressing his ire over the delay in providing the copies of the draft bill to the members of both Houses of legislature, Harish Rao said that reminded that President Pranab Mukherjee had clearly indicated that the copies of the bill should be made available to all the members while it was being forwarded to the state. Hence he wanted the Speaker take immediate steps to ensure that the Chie Secretary acts in this regard if not a privilege motion would be moved against him. (NSS).