Cong T’gana leaders furious with CM over AP Bill move

Taking exception to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy issuing a notice to the Assembly Speaker seeking to move a motion in the House for returning the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 to the Centre,?state ministers and other leaders from Telangana on Sunday demanded that he withdraw the notice.

‘This is undemocratic and irresponsible. The notice was given on behalf of government. We (ministers) were never consulted. We condemn this. We reject this action (of the Chief Minister),’ IT Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah told reporters after a meeting of Telangana Congress leaders here.

Referring to Article 3 of the Constitution (on formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states), he said all the states are bound to implement the directions of the Union government.

‘There is no reason, no purpose, no right, as a matter of fact, for sending the Bill back without discussion, without expressing its views,’ he said.

It is not fair for the Chief Minister to act in a manner that ‘amounts to defy the Union Cabinet, Constitution and President,’ Lakshmaiah said.

‘We say that this notice should be withdrawn. We have spoken to many (leaders) yesterday and on Sunday. We are individually writing to the Governor, Assembly Speaker and Chairman of Legislative Council. We are also meeting Speaker and Council Chairman to appraise them about the matter.’ 

In separate letters, the AP Minister had earlier appealed to the Assembly Speaker and Council Chairman to reject the proposed resolution.