Ruckus in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Appropriation Bill Stalled

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council was adjourned sine dine on Wednesday without adopting the crucial Appropriation Bill and others as members of the ruling YSR Congress and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) virtually came to blows in the House.

The TDP, which enjoys a majority in the 58-member House, did not let the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020 be passed.

In the process, the Appropriation Bill that clears the way for the states annual budget also got stalled.

However, the Appropriation Bill would be deemed to have been passed in 14 days as per rules since it is a money bill, legislature sources said.

The Council witnessed heated exchanges between YSR Congress and TDP members as the ruling side insisted that the

decentralisation and CRDA Bills be taken up for discussion first.

The TDP wanted the Appropriation Bill taken up first but the YSRC did not agree, as it feared that the House might be adjourned sine die without taking up other business.

Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath said the Appropriation Bill would normally be the last one to be taken up before the House was adjourned and wanted the Decentralisation and CRDA Bills taken up first.

Leader of the Opposition Yanamala Ramakrishnudu maintained that the Appropriation Bill was the most important and should hence be taken up first.

"If required, the government can conduct voting on which Bill to be taken up first, Yanamala said, causing the

verbal duel with the Finance Minister.

The House was briefly adjourned over the issue but when it re-assembled, pandemonium broke out with either side

virtually coming to blows.

Deputy Chief Minister P S C Bose and Agriculture Minister K K Babu alleged that TDP member B Ravichandra attacked the Endowments Minister V Srinivasa Rao.

TDP member Nara Lokesh took pictures of the happenings on his mobile, in total violation of rules.

The TDP members alleged the ruling party members attacked them.

Amid the melee, Deputy Chairman Reddy Subrahmanyam of the TDP, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House sine die.

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020, for the second time.

The two legislations were caught in a deadlock with the opposition earlier blocking their passage in the Legislative Council.