Don't compare apples with oranges: Jaipal Reddy

Hyderabad, Union Minister for Science and Technology S Jaipal Reddy on Saturday said that Legislative Assembly does not need to pass a resolution to bifurcate a state.

I am not giving a political clarification, but only a Constitutional clarification.As per the Constitution, no resolution is required.Only the relevant Bill needs to be sent to the state Assembly, he told reporters here. Jaipal recalled that resolution was a tradition introduced by the erstwhile NDA government when it divided three states. As per the Constitution, the Bill will certainly be referred to the state Assembly, he added. Asked if President's rule could be imposed in Andhra Pradesh to enable a smooth division in view of the threat by Seemaandhra legislators to defeat any resolution in the Assembly, he replied, I have no knowledge whatsoever about it, nor am I wishing it. No such thing has come to my notice. Asked whether he would become the first Chief Minister of the (new) Telangana state, he retorted, Don't you have anything else to ask. Like there is a need to improve the standards of politics, there is a need to improve the standards of media as well. Asked about the demand from Seemaandhra leaders and the people that Centre reverse the decision on Telangana as in the case of the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, the Union Minister said it was like comparing apples with oranges.