Congress party today issued a three-line whip to the party MPs in Rajya Sabha in view of the private member’s bill on Special Status to Andhra Pradesh. The bill is scheduled to come before the House on May 13. The whip has been issued at the behest of party president Sonia Gandhi to Rajya Sabha members asking them to be present in the House on next Friday to vote in favor of the bill.

The bill was introduced by party MP KVP Ramachadra Rao to get a commitment from the NDA government on the implementation of the provisions incorporated in AP Reorganization Bill 2014 with regard to Andhra Pradesh as well as special status. Congress wants to use the bill to expose BJP and TDP in parliament if they don’t come forward to support the bill when it comes up for voting .

KVP has been on the sustained campaign for special status in Rajya Sabha by writing letters to Prime Minister and by raising the matter on every forum. Now he tabled a private members bill in Rajya Sabha and wants the BJP and TDP support the bill as these were the parties who raised the matter of special category status to Andhra Pradesh in case bifurcation was thrust on the reluctant people from Seemandhra region, during the debated on Bifurcation Bill in 2014.

In order to test TDP and BJP’s commitment to the demand KVP has written letters to TDP president Chandrababu Naid, and parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu requesting them to direct their party members in Rajya Sabha to participate in the debate and support the bill when it comes up for voting.

KVR is insisting on voting on the bill. He also requested the Naidu duo to secure support from other NDA partners as well for the bill which is of ” utmost importance” to the state of Andhra Pradesh since the special category is being seen as solution to all ills AP got from the division.

This Congress member’s request is a tricky issue. Naidus can’t decline support to the bill as it deals with a sensitive subject which has the potential to foment trouble in the state. Similarly they can’t ask the other NDA partners to support the bill piloted by a Congress member, who the parties, especially the TDP targeted many a time as the front man of YS Rajasekhar Reddy ‘s alleged corrupt deals.

What is the way out for TDP and BJP. Chances are that the house will be adjourned sine die in view of assembly elections in some state before Friday. Once the house is adjourned, though the bill remains valid, the voting would be put off to the next session, a relief for the time being.