Hyderabad: Stage set for a stormy monsoon session

Hyderabad: The stage is set for sparks to fly in the monsoon session of the Assembly which would begin on Thursday. However, the session is likely to be a brief one -- for about 4 days.

The main Opposition Congress is gearing up to raise the issues like regularisation of Village Revenue Assistants’ services and the Cabinet decision to merge TSRTC with the government.

Congress leaders on Wednesday claimed that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was making all kinds of announcements as the grand old party (GOP) has been going aggressive and making certain promises through sector-specific declarations, such as youth declaration. The Congress also proposes to raise the issues like recent heavy rains and the damage caused to crops due to floods, etc.

The Congress leaders alleged that the government should not rush with its decision to merge TSRTC with the government as it needs a threadbare discussion on the modalities. It should not depend only on an official recommendation which everyone knows how it would be. Hence, the Congress would like to raise the issue and demand a detailed discussion on the same. The main question was why this ‘U’ turn on the eve of elections, they added. Congress legislators were planning to stage a dharna in the Assembly on various issues.

Sources in the ruling party said that KCR was preparing a special note on the developments taking place in the state since 2014 and the hurdles created by the BJP-led Union government in fulfilling the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act. He will also make use of the Assembly session to explain how his government could not implement certain decisions as the Governor had not given her accord to certain resolutions passed by the Assembly. These bills would again be brought before the Assembly and they will again be sent to the Governor after their passage in the Assembly.

However, the ruling party has made it clear that the government is open for discussing any issue but will not tolerate protests or dharnas inside the House. Assembly is meant for discussions not disturbances, it adds.

The BJP would try to counter the government on the issues like the Centre adopting step-motherly attitude towards the state and its allegation that no special funds were being given to the state.

Meanwhile, following intelligence inputs, security has been tightened and huge police force was deployed around the Assembly premises. Prohibitory orders like clamping of Section 144 and restriction on the movement of vehicles would be imposed during the session period.

A special team of police has been monitoring the movement of the leaders of various organizations and Opposition parties near the Assembly since Wednesday evening.