The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council was adjourned sine dine on Wednesday without adopting the bills to decentralise the state's capital and others as members of the ruling YSRCP and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) virtually came to blows in the House.
The TDP, which enjoys a majority in the 58-member Council, did not let the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020 be passed.
In the process, the Appropriation Bill that clears the way for the state's annual Budget also got stalled. However, the Appropriation Bill would be deemed to have been passed in 14 days as per rules since it is a money bill, sources said.
The Council witnessed heated exchanges between YSRCP and TDP members as the ruling side insisted that the decentralisation and CRDA Bills be taken up for discussion first.
The TDP wanted the Appropriation Bill taken up first but the YSRCP did not agree, as it feared that the House might be adjourned sine die without taking up other business.
Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath said the Appropriation Bill would normally be the last one to be taken up before the House was adjourned and wanted the Decentralisation and CRDA Bills taken up first.
Leader of the Opposition Yanamala Ramakrishnudu maintained that the Appropriation Bill was the most important and should hence be taken up first. "If required, the government can conduct voting on which Bill to be taken up first," Yanamala said, causing the verbal duel with the Finance Minister.
The House was briefly adjourned over the issue but when it re-assembled, pandemonium broke out with both sides virtually coming to blows.
Deputy Chief Minister P S C Bose and Agriculture Minister K K Babu alleged that TDP member B Ravichandra attacked the Endowments Minister V Srinivasa Rao.
TDP member Nara Lokesh was alleged to have taken pictures of the happenings on his mobile, in total violation of rules. The TDP members alleged the ruling party members attacked them.
Amid the melee, Deputy Chairman Reddy Subrahmanyam of the TDP, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House sine die.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020, for the second time. The two legislations were caught in a deadlock with the opposition earlier blocking their passage in the Legislative Council.
The Assembly has already passed a resolution urging the Centre to abolish the Council. The Centre is yet to take a decision on the state's request. As the Legislature Secretary allegedly refused to comply with the Council Chairman's orders, the issue is also now pending before the High Court.
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