Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly was adjourned today after holding discussions on the AP Reorganisation Bill for the second day.
Members of YSR Congress Party, who were suspended on Thursday, staged a walkout on Friday.
The session convened to take up discussion on the Bill (T-Bill) will met again on January 17. The President has granted time till January 23 to return the Bill after discussions.
Earlier in the day, the Assembly was adjourned within minutes of assembling as the members of YSR Congress insisted on taking up their adjournment motion on unified State that was rejected by the Speaker. When the members stormed the podium and shouted slogans and repeated request by the Speaker to take up the debate failed, the House was adjourned for about half an hour.
When the House met again, Y.S.Vijayamma, leader of YSR CP, raised several of their concerns and objections to the debate and also wanted the speaker to clarify whether there will be voting on the Bill. Expressing their protest, members of YSR CP walked out of the Assembly.
Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Telugu Desam leader, sought clarification from the chair on voting on the Bill and its provisions. The Speaker stated that there has to be discussion first.
Initiating the debate, TRS Leader Etela Rajendar, highlighted various concerns of the Telangana region and why they are keen on a separate State. He said that only a separate State would help them get justice as most of the issues to be taken up for development have not been implemented.
Reacting to Rajendar’s statements, when Dronamraju Srinivas, mentioned that students in the Telangana region had committed suicide due to statements made by TRS leaders, all hell broke loose.
Members from TRS rushed and pushed Srinivas. Reacting to this, other members rushed to Srinivas’s support. When Gade Venkat Reddy was besides him, he was also pushed by TRS members. Then the House was brought to order.
Later, after Etela Rajendar apologised on behalf of his party members, the house was back in order and the debate continued.
During the debate, Rajendar mentioned about how most of the resources such as Krishna and Godavari rivers, were in Telangana but the region was water starved. So is the case with other sectors, he said.
Members from various political parties on their own and some on behalf of the party have filed their views and objections to various clauses of the Bill.