This Article is From Jan 10, 2014

Voting on Telangana Bill only after debate in Andhra Pradesh Assembly: Speaker

Hyderabad: Putting to rest all doubts, Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker N Manohar on Friday ruled that there will be voting on the Bill for formation of a separate Telangana state after the debate.

The Speaker made the announcement after the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sought clarification in the House.

Mr Manohar said demanding voting before the debate was not proper. He was referring to the demand by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), whose legislators walked out to protest the debate on the Bill.

The Speaker said the matter was already clarified during the meeting of Business Advisory Committee (BAC).

Before leading YSRCP members out of the House, party leader YS Vijayamma lodged her protest over the House not passing a resolution to urge the central government to keep the state united.

She alleged that the central government is going ahead with the process of bifurcation without respecting the sentiments of people of Seemandhra and the opinion of both the Houses of the state legislature.

TDP leader Ashok Gajapati Raju urged the Speaker to clarify if the bill would be put to vote after the debate.

After the clarification by the Speaker, the debate on Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 resumed. Earlier, the house was adjourned for half an hour as YSRCP members stalled the House, demanding that a resolution be passed in support of a united Andhra Pradesh.

When the House re-assembled, Ms Vijayamma rose to lodge her party's protest over the debate without passing the resolution.

Members of Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Communist Party of India (CPI) participated in the debate on Friday, which was again marred by repeated interruptions and heated exchange of words between legislators of Telangana and Seemandhra.

Some TRS lawmakers rushed towards Congress member Dronamraju Srinivas when he passed certain remarks on their leader E Rajender.

Senior Congress leader Gade Venkatreddy intervened to prevent the TRS members. Mr Venkatreddy and also TDP legislators took strong exception to the behaviour of TRS members and demanded an apology.

Participating in the debate, Rajender highlighted how the injustice meted out to Telangana after its merger with Andhra state in 1956 led to the demand for a separate state. He said respecting the sentiments of people of Telangana, the President had sent the Bill and the same should be unanimously passed.

The Speaker later adjourned the Assembly till January 17. When the winter session resumes on January 17, the Assembly will have six working days to debate the Bill.

The session will continue till January 23, the deadline for the Assembly to send back the Bill to President Pranab Mukherjee with its views.

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