As Telangana deadline nearing and high command is said to have fuming at the Sate congress leaders,including Chief Minister, Seemandhra ministers and other leaders are gradually softening their stand against bifurcation. Interestingly they are pitching for holding a debate in Assembly probably taken a cue from the Congress high command.
Speaker Nadendla Manohar is said to have perturbed with ruckus recurring in the House and all set to suspend those who come in the way during the debate, sources said. The Speaker, who is shouldered with a responsibility by the high command, of passing the opinion to President, is in no mood to wait for some more time to hold the debate. If they failed to cooperate, the Speaker may be compelled to send them out of the House. Though Seemandhra TDP has softened to a little extent, YSRCP is still adamant to give their written opinion and demanding a united State resolution.
It is said Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy made a vain bid by speaking to Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, besides pressing his followers to speak to YSRCP Chief Jaganmohan Reddy to participate in the debate. Though lent his ears, Naidu expressed his helplessness, while Jagan ruled out that they would cooperate and instead will stall the House from conducting the debate, according to information.
It may be recalled that debate must be conducted as the House cannot pass a resolution against bifurcation. Kiran Reddy also suggested that these parties to give their opinions instead and participate in the debate. As the deadline for eliciting opinion is nearing and the high command is angst on Seemandhra leaders, including the Chief Minister, who is said to have reprimanded by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for defiance has now with no other go pressing for debate but with some conditions. The conditions are that voting will be taken up on issues of the bill in the debate, he said.
At this juncture, the Congress leaders will have to give their written opinion on the bill and other parties have to follow suit if they want to react. The YSRCP is understood to have taken a decision against giving an opinion on the issue. However, the Seemandhra TD leaders have sought more details to participate in the debate. Thus they are gradually paving way for the debate, according to sources. Left with no other way, Manohar may suspend Telugu Desam and YSRCP members and conduct the House for a debate.
Curiously, Sailajanath, who holds Legislative Affairs portfolio after Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy divested Sridhar Babu, seems to have changed his mindset towards conducting a debate on Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Bill 2013. A staunch Samaikyandhra leader, Sailajanath, who gave a chance to an argument by holding Samaikyandhra placard in the Assembly yesterday, is now softened his stance to conduct debate on the Telangana bill. Fascinatingly, he changed his stance and held parleys with another hardcore integrationist Payyavula Kesav of Telugu Desam Party for the debate. During a meeting Sailajanath spoken to Kesav and sought his cooperation to conduct debate on the bill. He tried to convince Kesav to give their opinions and amendments in written so as to enable the House to conduct the debate.
Kesav is said to have agreed for the debate on getting more details of the bill. He appealed that the leaders should participate in the debate by keeping the welfare of the Telugu people in view. Sailajanath alleged that TDP and YSRCP are reportedly favoring bifurcation by stalling the House. He said they will propose amendments to clauses which have some lapses and give opinions in writing.
Meanwhile another Seemandhra leader and Minister P Satyanarayana urged that the leaders should cooperate with the House to conduct debate on the bill. The parties should not oppose Telangana Bill but raise objections on the issues mentioned in it, he said. (NSS)
