New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Rajya Sabha could not take up the bill for formation of Telangana yesterday in absence on consensus over amendments in the legislation even as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Reddy resigned and the state seemed headed for president’s rule.
Announcing his decision to resign to media persons in the state capital, Kiran Reddy said he was also dumping the Congress to protest against the state’s break up. He then drove to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor E S L Narasimhan, urging the governor to make alternate arrangements at the earliest as he would not like to continue as caretaker chief minister.
Raj Bhavan sources said the governor accepted the resignation of Kiran Reddy, who was accompanied by about 10 ministers and 20 legislators from Seemandhra region.
A shutdown called by YSR Congress meanwhile hit normal life in several parts of Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra.
A day after the Lok Sabha passed the bill amid pandemonium and a blackout of televised proceedings, the bill could not be taken up in the Upper House due to want of consensus over amendments.
Even as Y S Chowdhary and
C M Ramesh of the Telugu Desam Party and K V P Ramachandra Rao of the Congress stood near the chairman’s podium with posters demanding “united Andhra Pradesh” and “Save Andhra Pradesh”, the house passed four bills in a row, after an agreement among parties.
Ugly scenes were witnessed when Ramesh tried to snatch some papers from Secretary General Shumsher H Sheriff. He apologised later for his behaviour.
While the bill for Telangana was expected next, the house was suddenly adjourned for half an hour around 4.30pm.
IANS
