AP House adjourned amid din over CM's move on Telangana Bill

Hyderabad, Jan 27: In an unprecedented event, ministers from Andhra Pradesh's Telangana region today joined fellow MLAs across party lines to stall Assembly proceedings, to preempt a resolution proposed to be moved by Chief Minister for returning the AP Reorganisation Bill-2013 to the Centre.

Two adjournments, first for half-an-hour and next for an hour, did not bring any order in the House forcing Speaker Nadendla Manohar to adjourn it for the day without transacting any business.

The legislators from Telangana were on their feet from the word go, demanding that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy withdraw the notice, given to the Speaker on Saturday under Rule 77 for moving a resolution seeking to return the Bill. The Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu were not present in the House at the time.

The ministers from Telangana raised "CM down down" slogans even as members from Seemaandhra shouted "Jai Samaikya Andhram," pushing the House into chaos. The Speaker cautioned the ministers saying it was not proper for them to rush into the Well.

As soon as the House sat for the day's proceedings at 9 AM today, legislators from Telangana rushing into the Well and demanding that the Speaker reject the notice issued by the Chief Minister for moving a resolution to return the AP Reorganisation Bill to the Centre.

The House proceedings had to be adjourned for half an hour as Telangana MLAs stormed the Speaker's podium demanding that the notice by the CM be rejected. Simultaneously, members from Seemaandhra demanded that the resolution be taken up and voting conducted to reject the Bill.

Both sides raised slogans, creating din in the House and forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for 30 minutes. The ministers from Telangana joined the protest when the House reassembled forcing a second adjournment for 1 hour. Similar scenes were witnessed when the House resumed, forcing the Speaker to adjourn it for the day.

The Chief Minister had on Saturday last questioned the very validity of the Bill saying it was violative not only of Parliamentary procedures but also the Constitution of India. Terming it incomprehensive, the Chief Minister said such a Bill could not be discussed in the Assembly.

He subsequently issued a notice to the Speaker under Rule 77 to move a resolution in the House for returning the Bill to the Centre.

PTI