Andhra Pradesh: Parties vie on tag fight

Hyderabad: The Special Category Status issue is generating a fresh wave of heat among political parties in AP. Both the Congress and the Telugu Desam are engaged in evolving counter-strategies to gain upper hand on this issue. In a strategy to counter the private bill on special category status introduced by Congress MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao in the Rajya Sabha, some Telugu Desam MPs, including Thota Narasimham, have submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker under Rule 191 on Tuesday, seeking a special discussion in the Lower House on the Special Status issue.

Meanwhile, expecting that the private bill on Special Status comes for voting in the Rajya Sabha on July 22, Congress leaders intensified their mo-ve to get support from other Opposition parties to see that the bill is pas-sed in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress wants to put the TD on the defensive by getting the private bill passed in Rajya Sabha with support from other political parties. Left parties, the JDU, the TMC, the Samajwadi party and the NCP have promised support to the bill introduced by Mr Ramachandra Rao. AICC leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday discussed the matter with Union minister and TD parliamentary party leader Y.S. Chowdary in the central hall of Parliament and requested them to support the bill. The TD has decided to extend its support to the bill but is not ready to announce this openly.

According to sources, Union minister Chowdary told Mr Ramesh that the TD will support the bill if there was a possibility of its passage by the Rajya Sabha.  However, Mr Chowdary told him that there was no need to convey the TD’s decision to the Congress. The discussion on a priv-ate bill on special status to AP, introduced by the Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha, had been over in previous session itself.

The Congress high command is likely to issue a whip to all its members to vote in favour of the private bill introduced by its MP, Mr Ramachandra Rao, in the Rajya Sabha. Telangana Congress MP M.A. Khan said he will vote in favour of the AP Special Status private bill if the party high command issued a whip. In fact, in the last days of the previous session, after completion of discussions on this bill, was the time for voting. At that moment, TD MP C.M. Ramesh raised an objection that there was no quorum in the house.

Due to that reason, the House was adjourned without conducting the voting. In the current session, the private bill was included in the agenda and this bill is likely to come up for voting on the first Friday of the session on July 22.

Special status issue generates political heat

Congress intensifies activity in getting support from Opposition parties

To counter KVPâ  s private bill, AP TD MPs submit notice to Lok Sabha speaker for a discussion on Special Status to AP

Congress fight in Rajya Sabha, TD fight in Lok Sabha

Jairam Ramesh discusses with Union minister YS Chowdary

AP Special Status private bill likely to come up for voting on July 22 in Rajya Sabha