Telangana MLAs oppose demand for more time to debate bill

Hyderabad,  Political parties from Telangana have strongly opposed the demand to extend the deadline for debate on Telangana bill in Andhra Pradesh assembly on Friday.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Congress party and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators from Telangana said the bill should be discussed and returned to the President by Jan 23.

President Pranab Mukherjee last month referred Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 to the state assembly and asked it to return the same with its opinion by Jan 23.

The debate on the bill resumed Friday as the final phase of the winter session of the state legislature began after Sankranti holidays.

Speaking in the assembly, TRS legislator K. Tarakarama Rao said the time given for debate on the bill should not be extended. He said the deadline may be extended only after the house passes a resolution to make a request to the President.

He was reacting to reports that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is opposed to state's bifurcation, is planning to write to the President seeking more time to debate the bill.

Talking to reporters, Tarakarama Rao said the attempts to seek more time were a conspiracy to stall the formation of Telangana state.

He urged Speaker N. Manohar not to extend the winter session under pressure from the chief minister and other legislators from Seemandhra.

He said legislators from Seemandhra had no right to demand more time as they did not utilize 42 days given by the President by stalling the house for several days.

Congress legislators from Telangana have also decided to write to the President not to extend the deadline.

They see the attempts to seek more time as a conspiracy to stall formation of Telangana state by not allowing the bill to be tabled in the Parliament during the session scheduled next month.

Communist Party of India (CPI) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also opposed the demand for more time to debate the bill.

Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising various pro-Telangana groups has warned of protests by people of Telangana if the centre extends the time for debate.