Centre offers deal on Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao private Bill

Hyderabad: The Centre on Wednesday agreed to a special two-hour discussion on the private member’s Bill to provide special category status to Andhra Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, but on the condition that the Congress withdraws the Bill moved by its member Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao.

To arrive at an agreement to resolve the turbulent issue, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari held an all-party leaders’ meeting on Wednesday evening wherein leader of the House and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said that they were ready for a special discussion and the government would reply to the debate, but there was no question of allowing voting on Dr Rao’s Bill due to its financial nature.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and deputy leader Anand Sharma agreed for the special discussion. After a consensus was reached in the meeting, the Congress, Telugu Desam and YSR Congress members issued notices for a special discussion on Thursday.

But after he got to know about the meeting’s outcome, Dr Ramachandra Rao told newsmen that he would not withdraw the Bill and would insist on voting on Friday. He added that he was prepared to face any disciplinary action from the Congress high command (for not withdrawing the Bill).

However, it is not clear whether the Rajya Sabha chairman will use his powers under rule 186 and delete Dr Rao’s Bill from the List of Business based on the objection by the leader of House stating that it was a money bill, or whether he won’t list it for Friday as there will be a special discussion on Thursday.

In a related development, Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader and Union minister of state Y.S. Chowdary demanded an “action taken” report from the Union home and finance ministries on what they had done in the last two years for Andhra Pradesh in implementing various provisions and assurances related to the AP Reorganisation Act.