Andhra MPS hold protests over special status demand
STAKING CLAIM YSR Cong MPS detained during protest, TDP lawmakers force adjournment
NEW DELHI: The competitive politics between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party over the special category status for Andhra Pradesh played out in New Delhi on Monday as both the parties held protests on the opening day of the second half of Parliament’s budget session.
Five YSR Congress MPS and a few MLAS were detained after they staged a protest outside the Parliament and started a march from Parliament Street towards Raisina Hill to submit a memorandum to Union home minister Rajnath Singh stating their demand. Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that they would move a no-confidence motion against the government on March 21 for “not fulfilling their demand”.
Reddy has already announced that his MPS will resign from Parliament on April 6, the last day of the ongoing budget session, if their demand was not met. “The decision to grant SCS (special category status) was announced in the Parliament and endorsed by opposition parties, including BJP in 2014,” a statement from the party said.
YSR Congress general secre- tary and Rajya Sabha member Vijay Sai Reddy MP attacked chief minister N Chandra Babu Naidu for “selling” the interest of the state by trading the special category status demand for the “so-called special package”.
The TDP, an ally of the BJP, also created a ruckus inside the Parliament, pressing for the special category status.
TDP MP N Siva Prasad dressed up as Lord Krishna and lawmaker Maganti Babu held an idol of Lord Balaji as they and party leaders staged a protest near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament. The MPS also trooped into the well of the Houses as soon as proceedings started and displayed placards demanding ‘justice’ for Andhra Pradesh. The protests by TDP MPS led to the adjournment of both the Houses.
Meanwhile, Andhra and Telangana governor ESL Narasimhan reiterated the state’s demand for implementation of all promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act on the first day of the state assembly’s budget session.
Stating that the bifurcation of the combined state had resulted in difficulties and some of them stood unresolved, the governor said they were trying to get the Centre to fulfil their demands.