CM land issue rocked Winter Session of AP house

Hyderabad, Dec 24 (UNI) Contrary to expectations that the Telangana issue will dominate the winter session of the Andhra Pradesh which was adjourned sine die on Friday last, the surrender of 310.57 acre of land by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy snowballed into a major controversy and gaining the limelight in the short session.

After the Chief Minister made a startling disclosure outside the House when it was in session that he had surrendered the land purchased by his deceased father unknowing that ''it was assigned by the Government to Dalits'', the main opposition TDP as also TRS, the CPI(M) and BJP stalled the proceedings demanding the resignation of Dr Reddy for holding the land for over 30 years allegedly in violation of land laws.

The TRS, which perceived Dr Reddy to be the stumbling block to Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi acceding the party's demand for the formation of separate Telangana state, joined hands with the TDP in a joint agitation programme seeking the intervention of Governor Rameshwar Thakur after their suspension from the services of the State Assembly during the session.

The House also witnessed an acrimonious debate over the issue for over three days, with the ruling Congress launching a counter attack on TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu on the lands allegedly purchased in violation for a dairy run by his family members and the opposition continuing to mount pressure on the Chief Minister to step down from office.

The Chief Minister, who scaled down the extent of land by nearly half after announcing surrender of 618 acres, further revealed that his family was holding about 1000 more acres in his native Kadapa district.

The issue had its echo in New Delhi, with the opposition TDP stalling the proceedings in the Rajya sabha to press for the resignation of Dr Reddy.

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