TRS sharpens weapons to ‘silence’ BJP in Assembly

Hyderabad: The TRS is all set to corner BJP in the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly and Council scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The ruling party plans to hold a special debate on BJP-led Union government’s ‘discrimination’ against Telangana, misuse of central investigation agencies like CBI, ED, I-T department, rising prices of fuel, LPG and other essential commodities, and promoting divisive and communal politics.

Although there is no clarity over how many days the House will be in session, it is speculated that it will meet for three days on September 6, 13 and 14. One of the three days would be allocated for the debate on Centre's failures and acts of omission and commission.

Official sources said that the House will be adjourned for a week after its commencement on September 6 as the police machinery will be busy with Ganesh immersion bandobast till September 10.

The treasury benches want to discuss Centre's failure in implementing provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. They also want a discussion on the cuts imposed FRBM loans, stopping loans for Kaleshwaram and Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation projects, imposing restrictions on paddy procurement, non-sanction of funds and projects to Telangana, the union power ministry directing the state government to pay over Rs 6,000 crore power dues to Andhra Pradesh among other issues.

Although the Congress was the primary target of TRS in the House all these days, now with BJP stepping up political activity in the state to take the TRS head on, the ruling party has changed its political strategy to target BJP.

While TRS has 103 MLAs in the Assembly and enjoys the support of seven AIMIM members, the BJP can only boast of three. Of them, Goshamahal legislator T. Raja Singh attending the Assembly looks doubtful as he is lodged in Cherlapally jail.

The BJP will be left with only M. Raghunandan Rao and Etala Rajendar. The three BJP members could not speak in the previous Budget session as they were suspended for the session after they tried to protest against the decision to do away with the customary Governor's address.

Rajendar, who was reelected in November 2021 on a BJP ticket, after quitting TRS in June, is yet to speak in the Assembly.