The priority release of special development fund (SDF) in the name of Telugu Desam Party defeated candidates ignoring the requests of MLAs of the constituency rocked the Assembly of Andhra Pradesh today, the last day of the budget session.
The issue had been raised by the Opposition leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy. The denial of SDF to the party MLAs is being seen as one of the main reasons that prompted the YSRC MLAs to defect to Telugu Desam Party. Hence Jagan raised the issue and took strong exception to the government policy of ignoring the pleas of YSRC MLAs for the SDF for the development of their constituencies. He accused the TDP government of making SDF available to the TDP leaders and called it a nefarious act. He said it was unprecedented. How could the government release funds in the name of Telugu Desam ex MLAs and release GOs in their names, he asked. He brought to the release of funds to Kandula Narayana Reddy, Adala Prabhakar Reddy etc to notice of the House, much to the embarrassment of treasury benches.
According to Jagan, the defeated TDP candidates submit proposals for the developmental works and the money would be released to the tune of Rs 2 crore within hours in the name of the TDP leader. ” No money has been release for the local MLA of the constituency belonging to the YSRC,” he said. He alleged that the this was a deliberate attempt by government to promote the TDP leaders making the sitting MPs and MLAs dummies by releasing the money to the ruling party leaders.
The idea behind the scheme was that the TDP defeated candidate would become popular in the constituency through these developmental works and at the same time it would make the MLA unpopular.
Responding to the charges leveled by the Opposition leader, legislative affairs and finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu denied having shown discrimination in the release of SDF. “The Chief Minister has released the funds who ever asked for them with suitable proposals,” the minister said adding that no ex MLAs was preferred. “You have not submitted proposals to the CM. If the CM is satisfied , he would release funds to you as well,” Yanamala said.
Disputing Yanamala’s assertion, Jagan said it was the practice for the governments to release funds for MLAs and MPs for the development of their constituencies. Jagan read out the names of ex MLAs who got the money sanctioned for their constituencies. Opposition members raised slogans in support of their leader.
Yanamala’s reply failed to satisfy the members of the opposition. Raising slogans ” this is thieves’ raj, looting Raj” they rushed into the well and surrounded the podium to express their protest. Speaker disallowed Jagan to continue his speech stating that he had already made his point. As he could not transact the business, speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao adjourned the House for ten minutes.
