YS Jagan Mohan Reddy moves statutory resolution in Assembly to abolish Council

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has moved a statutory resolution that, "The Legislative Assembly of the State of Andhra Pradesh resolves that the Legislative Council of the State be abolished", amidst huge applause from the YSRCP MLAs in the Assembly on Monday.

Before that, the AP Cabinet has approved the resolution, as scheduled early morning around 9.30 am. After that the Assembly Speaker Tammineni Seetharam conducted Business Advisory Committee meeting in the Assembly meeting hall, where the attendees decided the day business. Meanwhile, the TDP opposed the proposal and boycotted the House.

As soon as Chief Minister introduced the Resolution, Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas alias Nani, Deputy Chief Minister (Health and Medical Education) welcomed the move and criticised the TDP for creating obstacles in the Council.

Alla Nani suggested that to ensure development, there was no alternative than abolishing the Council.

He said that the TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and others were opposing the decentralization of the development and establishing three capitals only because of their real estate interests in the Amaravati. "We lost the Hyderabad after developing for nearly six decades. Now, the State and public is not in a position to afford such blunder again. Hence, the Chief Minister has proposed for three capitals with an aim of decentralized development across the thirteen districts. At the same time, the Chief Minister never said that he would seize the development of the Amaravati. He added that the public across the state expressed displeasure over the concentration of the development at one place alone - Amaravati. In addition to that the Sriramakrishnan Committee also suggested that the soil in this area is not suitable for developing capital city. But, Chandrababu Naidu ignored all these to benefit the TDP leaders and their followers."

Perni Venkatramaiah alias Nani, Minister for Information and Public Relations said that he had good opinion over the Council, until recently. He explained he was in thinking that, the Upper House would make some suggestions to improve and strengthen the laws passed by the Lower House. "Chandrababu Naidu has been playing double game. He accepted the Bills like Commission for SCs and STs and English Medium in the Assembly. But, he opposed it in the Council, where his son Nara Lokesh is representing."

The Minister showed video footage of the comments of Chandrababu Naidu's comments on a resolution while incorporating the Council during July, 2004. In which, Chandrababu Naidu said that then CM YS Rajasekhar Reddy was introducing the Council only to accommodate their party defeated leaders. Nani said that Chandrababu Naidu was known for his u turns.

Dharmana Prasada Rao, YSRCP MLA, representing Srikakulam Assembly Constituency, criticised that despite getting a humiliating defeat in the general elections, Chandrababu Naidu was still trying to make the laws, influence the government by using the Council. "After touring the entire State, understanding the problems of the public, the Chief Minister got the clear mandate. Now, the CM wanted to develop the state. But, the TDP opposing it. They stopped various bills in the Council. Jagan is implementing the public mandate. But the defeated Chandrababu Naidu is opposing it. Is it not against the public mandate? What is the meaning of giving mandate to Jagan, if he could not make the laws for the public and development?", Prasada Rao criticised.

He said that the Upper Houses were an imposition on us by the British Raj. There was no need to have these Upper Houses. The Britishers created these Upper Houses to exploit the public and induce their agenda.

Kolusu Pardasaradhi, YSRCP MLA from Penumaluru in Krishna district criticised that Chandrababu Naidu was doing dirty politics as he could not digest the development and welfare activities being done by Jagan.