The Cabinet meeting, scheduled for Monday, is likely to take a decision on abolishing the Legislative Council. The government may table a resolution in the Assembly to this effect after a short discussion on the developments that followed the passage of the decentralisation and repeal of CRDA Bills in the House. The Legislative Council’s decision to refer them to a select committee kicked up a controversy.
The ruling YSR Congress Party is, sources say, is seriously contemplating abolishing the Council in the wake of the recent developments. The government would first initiate a discussion on the subject before tabling the resolution. Parliament would have to approve the resolution passed in the Assembly and abolish the Council. “ I don’t see any hurdle in getting it cleared in Parliament. It is a matter of days,” said a senior leader.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Thursday, had dropped hints that the Council would be abolished. “We need to seriously think whether we need to have such a House which appears to be functioning with only political motives,” he had said in the Assembly. He further said it was not mandatory to have the Council. “So let us discuss the issue further on Monday and take a decision on whether or not to continue the Council,” he had said.
Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Party decided to stay away from the Assembly proceedings. The legislature party meeting chaired by national president N. Chandrababu Naidu felt that it was unconstitutional to discuss the proceedings in the Legislative Council, in the Assembly. Hence, the Opposition party decided not to attend the proceedings.
Mr. Naidu said the party would recognise the services of leaders, who stand by it during difficult times. “Don’t get carried away by the allurements by the ruling party,” he reportedly told his party colleagues.
Later, talking to reporters, TDP MLC Batchula Arjunudu said the government had decided to abolish the Council as the TDP did not dance to the tune so the ruling party. The YSR Congress Party was going against public opinion. It had no respect for the law and the Constitution, he alleged.
