TDP, TRS face flak for House expansion
Shemin Joy NEW DELHI, June 11, 2016, DHNS:
Efforts of TDP and TRS in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to increase the size of Assemblies is “political opportunism at its cynical worst” Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says in his new book.
Ramesh, who was a member of the Group of Ministers that charted the course of controversial bifurcation of AP, writes that he is unable to understand the "sudden scramble" for such a move.
The remark made in 'Old History, New Geography: Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh', which hit the book stands on Friday, comes close on the heels of suspicion of a section of politicians that TDP and TRS are trying use the provision in AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, to further their standing in the states.
As per the Act, Assembly constituencies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would be enhanced from 119 and 175 to 153 and 225 respectively.
However, Ramesh writes, the GoM had put a condition that this provision is subject to Article 170 of Constitution that freezes such exercise till 2031-32. "However, what I could not understand was the sudden scramble to push for increasing the size of the assemblies that was initiated by Chandrababu Naidu and supported by KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao. This appeared to me to be political opportunism at its cynical worst and being resorted to only to encourage defections," the former minister says.
Ramesh’s suspicion on encouraging defections is also echoed by a section of politicians with reports suggesting that BJP leaders in both the states are trying to prevail upon their party central leadership to withhold a decision in this regard. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu was earlier quoted as saying that the Centre was keen to amend the Act to increase the number of Assembly seats as sought by the states. The state BJP leaders were apprehensive of the move as they believe this would only enhance the chance of both TDP and TRS, which are the ruling parties in AP and Telangana respectively.
Ramesh, who was a member of the Group of Ministers that charted the course of controversial bifurcation of AP, writes that he is unable to understand the "sudden scramble" for such a move.
The remark made in 'Old History, New Geography: Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh', which hit the book stands on Friday, comes close on the heels of suspicion of a section of politicians that TDP and TRS are trying use the provision in AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, to further their standing in the states.
As per the Act, Assembly constituencies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would be enhanced from 119 and 175 to 153 and 225 respectively.
However, Ramesh writes, the GoM had put a condition that this provision is subject to Article 170 of Constitution that freezes such exercise till 2031-32. "However, what I could not understand was the sudden scramble to push for increasing the size of the assemblies that was initiated by Chandrababu Naidu and supported by KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao. This appeared to me to be political opportunism at its cynical worst and being resorted to only to encourage defections," the former minister says.
Ramesh’s suspicion on encouraging defections is also echoed by a section of politicians with reports suggesting that BJP leaders in both the states are trying to prevail upon their party central leadership to withhold a decision in this regard. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu was earlier quoted as saying that the Centre was keen to amend the Act to increase the number of Assembly seats as sought by the states. The state BJP leaders were apprehensive of the move as they believe this would only enhance the chance of both TDP and TRS, which are the ruling parties in AP and Telangana respectively.
No comments:
Post a Comment