Telangana ministers criticise Chief Minister over AP Bill move

HYDERABAD: In an unusual event, ministers hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Telangana region today trooped in the Well of the Legislative Assembly and raised slogans against Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for issuing a notice to the Speaker to move a motion in the House for returning the AP Reorganisation Bill-2013 to the Centre.

Cutting across party lines, legislators from Telangana, including four ministers and the Chief Whip, trooped into the Well when the House reassembled after the first adjournment and raised "CM down down" slogans.

The Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu were not present in the House at the time.

Speaker Nadendla Manohar cautioned the ministers saying it was not proper for them to rush into the Well.

Trouble began as soon as the House sat for the day's proceedings at 9 AM today with legislators from Telangana rushing into the Well and demanding that the Speaker reject the notice issued by the Chief Minister under Rule 77 for moving a resolution to return the AP Reorganisation Bill to the Centre.

Proceedings of the House had to be adjourned for half an hour this morning as legislators from Telangana stormed the Speaker's podium demanding that the notice served by the Chief Minister 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 proceedings for 30 minutes.

The ministers from Telangana joined the protest when the House reassembled, forcing an adjournment for an hour the second time.

The Chief Minister had on Saturday 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, he had said such a Bill could not be discussed in the Assembly.

He had subsequently issued a notice to the Speaker to move a resolution for returning the Bill to the Centre.