Andhra Pradesh CM Kiran Kumar Reddy's move on Telangana Bill invites flak

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh ministers and leaders from Telangana today attacked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for issuing a notice to the Assembly Speaker seeking to move a motion in the House for returning the draft AP Reorganisation Bill, 2013 to the Centre.

Taking objection to the CM's move, IT Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah has written separately to Governor E S L Narasimhan, Speaker N Manohar and Legislative Council Chairman Chakrapani pointing out that the motion was sought to be moved as government resolution, but it was never discussed in the Council of Ministers.

The Minister has urged the Assembly Speaker and Council Chairman to reject the proposed resolution.

Congress Chief Whip G Venkata Ramana Reddy said that Kiran's move is against the spirit of democracy. "Whatever attempts are made, we are fully confident that the process of Telangana formation would not stop," he said.

Civil Supplies Minister D Sridhar Babu, who was divested of the legislative affairs portfolio before the debate on the draft Bill began, dubbed the move as being against the spirit of Constitution.

The Chief Minister, who found fault with the draft Bill during his speech in the Assembly yesterday, subsequently served a notice under Rule 77 to the Speaker for moving a motion in the House to return the Bill to the Centre.