BJP has successfully thwarted the attempt by Congress to get the Andhra Pradesh special status bill passed in Rajya Sabha tomorrow.
While the Congress succeeded in mobilizing the support from SP, BSP, the Left, JD etc for the bill, the government has decided to adjourn the house in order to facilitate the Rajha Sabha members participate in the final phase of the campaign for Assembly elections in some states such as Tamil Naudu.
The House will be adjourned after the house bids farewell to the members who are retiring from House in June. But, Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu said the bill would remain alive and could be taken up in the next session. “There is no need for the Opposition party to harbor any suspicion,” he said.
But the Congress cried foul. Immediately after the BAC decision, all AP members met at the residence of KVP Ramachandra Rao to discuss the strategy. The members present at the meeting, among others, were Jairam Ramesh, T Subbirami Reddy, PCC president N Raghuvira Reddy.
They said even though only voting was pending with regard to the bill, BJP resorted to adjourn the house. It is believed the minority NDA has hopes of getting more members elected in June which would help it defeat the bill in next session.
The Congress leaders squarely blamed Venkaiah Naidu for removing the KVP’s bill from the agenda. Jairam Ramesh alleged that Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu had conspired to adjourn the house after bidding farewell to the outgoing members. “It’s undemocratic not to complete the listed business,” Jairam said displaying the copy of Rajya Sabha bulletin which listed KVPs bill in Friday’s agenda.
“Venkaiah is scared of the prospects of passage of the bill in the House as all major political parties including TDP are ready to support the bill. Now, JD, SP, BSP, Left and TDP are with us,” Jairam said.
He said he was happy that even though one Naidu ditched the state the other Naidu is supporting the genuine attempt by Congress. KVP Ramachandra Rao, who piloted the private members bill , said the decision to adjourn the House was only to thwart the bill from being taken up by the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.
“BJP knows that my bill will have majority support. I have the backing of all political parties, including the TDP. We have clear majority in the House. To prevent the bill passed in Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah conspired to adjourn the house tomorrow,” he said.
He alleged that the BJP was hoping to gain majority in Rajya Sabha after next round of biennial elections in June. It won’t happen. The Congress will ensure that the bill is passed whenever it comes up before the House,” he said.
