2011 Andhra Pradesh Assembly Winter Session - Day 5

December 5, 2011 - Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh Legislature

Kiran Kumar Reddy's Government defeats no-confidence motion 160-122

For the first time, the Kiran Kumar Reddy's government will face a no-confidence motion voting in the Assembly. The persistence of the Telugu Desam Party to table the no-confidence motion in the assembly was able to defy the efforts of the Congress party to prevent such a voting. The no-confidence motion against Kiran Kumar Reddy's Government for their failure to come to the aid of the farmers was tabled by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on November 3 (Day 3 of the winter session). A discussion on the issues was taken up yesterday. Not satisfied with the response of the Government, the opposition parties staged a walk out.

Current Strength in Assembly

Though, Congress is trying to put up a brave face saying they have enough strenth, the reality is that their fate depends on cross-voting in the Assembly. Whips to Congress MLAs were issued yesterday and the Chief Minister gave a strict warning that action would be taken against those Congress MLAs who commit cross-voting. Officially, the Congress has more than enough strength to defeat the no-confidence motion. However, the number of MLAs favoring Jagan Mohan Reddy is not clear. 19 MLAs attended his meeting last night and it is likely that the count won't go higher.

Official Party-wise strength in the Assembly

Party	Strength
Congress	152
TDP	86
PRP	18
TRS	12
MIM	7
CPI	4
CPI(M)	1
BJP	2
Lok Satta	1
YSR Congress	1
Independent	3
Vacant	7
Total	294

In case of Cross Voting

Congress and allies
Congress (excluding Jagan's group)	136
PRP	17
MIM	7
Independent	1
Nominated member	1
Total	162

Opposition Parties
TDP	85
TRS	12
Congress (Jagan's group)	17
PRP (Jagan's group)	1
CPI	4
BJP	2
CPI(M)	1
YSR Congress	1
Independent	1
Lok Satta	1
Total	124

Adjournment Motions

The CPI party has proposed a resolution on Telangana State, while the BJP party proposed a discussion on lifting away the cases on Telangana activists.

Chennamaneni Ramesh skips session

Vemulavada MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh of TRS is skipping the session and the critical no-confidence motion today citing health reasons. He is currently in Germany taking medical treatment. With TRS releasing whip, two MLAs of TRS who are in abroad are asked to attend to the session today. While Gaddam Aravind Reddy has returned from USA, Ramesh could not come and attend the voting today, sources say.

Chandrababu Naidu and Kiran Kumar Reddy go personal, blames each other

While the discussion on the no-confidence motion is on, Chandrababu Naidu went personal at one stage and said that the present Congress Government in the state is being dictated the terms by Delhi and that it is being run by Sonia Gandhi. He said Kiran Kumar Reddy is a sealed cover Chief Minister. Responding to this, Kiran Kumar defended himself that he and his family were elected representatives for many years now and that they have never come into power by cheating their own family members, indirectly referring to Chandrababu Naidu's coming to power bringing down NT Rama Rao. The Speaker immediately stepped in and asked the members no to go personal. While Chandrababu Naidu termed the Cabinet ministers as corrupt, Chief Minister said that Chandrababu should first prove his innocence in front of the Court.

Home Minister ready to face probe

Reacting to the opposition party allegations, Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy said that she is ready to prove her innocence and is ready to face any kind of probe. She said that she is ready to face inquires if a written complaint is given on her or her family members.

Marshals introduced, TDP blames Government

While the debate on no-confidence motion is going on, Marshals entered the session in the Assembly. Reacting to the incident, TDP leader Payyavula Keshav said that introducing Marshals while the session is going peacefully is undemocratic. He said that the move is Government's plan to skip the voting on no-confidence motion in the evening. He also made it clear that they are not afraid of Marshals in the Assembly and demanded that they should be sent away.

PRP MLA Kanna Babu says Chandrababu is late by a lifetime to talk about farmers

Praja Rajyam Party MLA Kanna Babu said that Chandrababu Naidu speaking about the problems faced by farmers is late by a lifetime. He said that it is not right saying that they will collapse the government because of problems in the State. He said that it would be much appreciated if he could explain the problems that he found out during his Rythu Poru Bata to the Government. Though, it is the right of the opposition party to move a no-confidence motion against the Government, the opposition parties are not clear on why they are tabling the no-confidence motion. The no-confidence motion is clearly a political move, he opined.

TRS talks about Telangana statehood

TRS Legislative Party leader Etela Rajender said that it is unfortunate that the aspirations of 4 crore people in the State are not being discussed in the Assembly. Speaking in the assembly during debate on the no-confidence motion, Rajender said that those who support their party's ideology are their allies while the rest of them are their enemies. He said that their only goal is to achieve the statehood of Telangana by tabling the bill in the Parliament. He said that Telugu Desam Party has changed their stand on the Telangana issue and said that they should stick to the letter written to the Centre favoring Telangana statehood.

Opposition parties making light of Rs. 1 per kilo rice scheme

Congress MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy criticized the opposition parties saying that they are making light of Rs. 1 per kilo rice scheme introduced by the Government. He said that lakhs of families took advantage of the scheme. He also said that the Government has introduced several welfare programmes. He said that everyone doubts the intention behind the no-confidence motion tabled by Chandrababu Naidu. He alleged that Chandrababu Naidu is trying to escape the CBI probe by introducing a no-confidence motion against the Government. He said that people has faith on the Government and it is only the opposition parties that are trying to take advantage of problems faced by the farmers for their political gains. He also questioned the TRS party for supporting the no-confidence motion tabled by the TDP. Venkataramana said that it is TDP who changed their stand on the Telangana issue.

YSR Congress Party leaders supporting no-confidence only for farmers

Speaking at the media point in Assembly, MLAs supporting YSR Congress party said that they are supporting the no-confidence motion only for the sake of the farmers in the State. Shobha Nagi Reddy said that they are not concerned about packages and their goal is to resolve the problems faced by farmers.

MIM opposes no-confidence motion

MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi who survived an assassination attempt spoke on behalf of their party in the Assembly on the no-confidence motion. He spoke in length about the Telangana issue and the loss that it caused to the people of the state.

CPI supports no-confidence motion says Mallesh

CPI leader Mallesh said that their party will support the no-confidence motion whether it is proposed by TDP or TRS.

TDP says Government lost the trust of people

Telugu Desam Party says that the current Government has lost the trust of the people in the State.

Botcha Satyanarayana speaks in Assembly on no-confidence motion

Kishan Reddy speaks about no-confidence motion

BJP state president and MLA G Kishan Reddy spoke on behalf of his party on the no-confidence motion in the Assembly.

See Also: BJP's Kishan Reddy speaks on no-confidence motion

TDP requests Division of Voting

The Telugu Desam Party has submitted a letter requesting to implement Division of Voting during the voting of no-confidence motion.

Government whip Kondru Murali, while speaking on the no-confidence motion, said that the schemes taken up by Congress party after it got elected to power in 2004 is known to everyone. He said that the current State Government is cancelling loans to the tune of the amount which equals to the budget of the then Government lead the Telugu Desam Party. Women all over the State wants the Government to continue for another 20 years.

Jayaprakash Narayan speaks on no-confidence motion

Lok Satta party MLA and president Jayaprakash Narayan spoke about the no-confidence motion in the Assembly.

See Also: Jayaprakash Narayan speaks on no-confidence motion

Vijayamma speaks for the first time in Assembly, supports no-confidence motion

YSR Congress Party MLA and honorary president YS Vijayamma spoke for the first time in Assembly today. She said that she used to watch the assembly proceedings from home, but she attended the assembly session today as she has no choice. She said that both the ruling Congress party and the opposition party are remembering former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. She said that since YSR has passed away, speaking about him is not necessary in the Assembly.

She questioned the opposition parties whether the no-confidence motion is against Rajasekhara Reddy or because of the problems faced by farmers in the State. YSR worked very hard for 25 years to bring the Congress party into power. She said that is hurts her that a Government brought by YSR is now facing the no-confidence motion. She said that because of the promise given by YSR Congress Party leader Jagan Mohan Reddy to people of the State, she is supporting the no-confidence motion against the Government. It is unfortunate that the ruling party doesn't condemn the remarks made against YSR by Opposition party leader Chandrababu Naidu. She said that the Government is working against the farmers.

Silence all around the assembly was witnessed during the time she was speaking. However, the TDP legislators raised objection when she said that Chandrababu Naidu used to say that Agriculture was a waste. She urged the MLAs who support YSR to vote against the Government in the no-confidence voting. She urged the MLAs to choose their conscience before voting in the no-confidence motion.

Responding to Vijayamma's statements, Botcha Satyanarayana said that it is good that Vijayamma has entered and spoke in the assembly for the first time. Referring to Vijayamma's comments that Congress chased away Jagan Mohan Reddy from the party, Botcha said that everybody knows the respect the Congress party has given to the YSR family. He said that the Congress leaders are maintaining restraint because she is the wife of former Congress leaders, he took exceptions to the comments made against Government's welfare programmes. He said that it is Kiran Kumar Reddy who defended Jagan Mohan Reddy in the murder case of Paritala Ravi.

Harish Rao speaks

TRS MLA T Harish Rao said that for the past seven and half years, Congress is saying repeatedly that they will bring the Telangana state. He reminded that Sonia Gandhi during her election campaigning in 2004 promised a Telangana state. Since then several committees were placed. Congress party has been wasting time in the past seven and half years. There is no consensus even among the Congress leaders at the Centre. Congress party is responsible for the deaths of over 700 people in the Telangana issue. That is the reason why TRS is supporting the no-confidence motion. He said that Kiran Kumar Reddy says that the issue is not in his hands. Harish Rao opined that CM can take cue from Uttar Pradesh Mayavati and propose a resolution on Telangana. He alleged that the current CM has put over 150 cases against Telangana youth. Harish Rao said that he feels pity on Telangana Ministers. Harish Rao said that he feels pity on Telangana Ministers. Though eight Telangana Ministers urged the CM to postpone the Group I exams, their request was ignored. He urged the Telangana MLAs to support the no-confidence motion as it is their responsibility towards the Telangana people. Though, Jana Reddy became the Panchayat Raj minister no funds were allocated to the Telangana region.

Sridhar Babu said that they are fighting with their leadership within the party on the Telangana issue.

Harish Rao, responding to Sridhar Babu's remarks, thanked the minister for agreeing that quota of Kersosene and Sugar. He said that it is the Chief Minister and not them that the Telangana Ministers are not given due importance.

Jogi Ramesh Goud speaks

While thanking the Speaker for admitting the no-confidence motion, Jogi Ramesh Goud said that in about one or two hours, Kiran Kumar Reddy will prove that he is a 'Mr. Clean' CM and Congress party will prove that it is a 'Mr. Clean Party'. He said that while Chandrababu Naidu portrays himself as the brother of Anna Hazare in the state, people say that he acts like the brother of Madhu Koda. Speaker Nadendla Manohar said that any remarks made unparliamentary will not go into the record.

Mothkupalli Narasimhulu speaks

TDP leader Mothkupalli Narasimhulu said that while Vijayamma spoke about YS Rajasekhara Reddy, she forgot to mention the mining scam. Janardhan Reddy is like her eldest son, he said. He said that the YSR family has made crores of rupees in the illegal iron ore mining scam. He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy has made a deal with Sonia Gandhi during his New Delhi trip. Dharmana Prasada Rao said that it is not fair to invoke the name of a person who is not in the house.

Narasimhulu said that YSR Congress Party is a branch office of Congress. He challenged the Government to propose a resolution on Telangana State in the Assembly.

Dharmana Prasada Rao speaks

Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao said that facing no-confidence motion is not new for Congress. They have faced it eight times. He also noted that though Telugu Desam Party is in power for 20 years, Congress never invoked such a serious provision. Invoking no-confidence motion for silly reasons is undemocratic, he said.

Reacting to Prasada Rao's comments, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said that being in a responsible position, the Minister is not in a position to understand the reason of the no-confidence motion. He said that reason for the no-trust motion is because the Government has failed in all departments.

Dharmana Prasada Rao said that everyone knows that will happen in the no-trust voting and said that TDP misused such a serious provision. He said that he is condemning the way the provision is used by the TDP.

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