Setback for TDP as AP governor does not reconvene

With Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan on Tuesday deferring the budget session of the state legislature, the Telugu Desam Party's plan to move a no confidence motion against the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government has suffered a setback, at least for the time being.

With the legislature being postponed, Kiran Kumar Reddy can now heave a sigh of relief, at least for the next two months, as the monsoon session will be held only either by July end or in the first week of August.

The Reddy-led Congress government would otherwise have to face a floor test as the rebel legislators pledged their support to YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to pull down the state government, with the support of TDP and other opposition parties like Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left.

The budget session of the legislature, though concluded on March 29, was reconvened for a day on June 4 for the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker of the legislative assembly and the chairman and the deputy chairman of the legislative council.

The TDP, which enjoys a strength of 90 MLAs in the 294-member assembly, had served a notice on June 4 for tabling a no-confidence motion against the government but the newly-elected Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka adjourned the assembly sine die without taking cognisance of the no-trust motion.

The TDP, led by N Chandrababu Naidu, then petitioned the governor against abrupt adjournment of the lower house and wanted it to be reconvened to take up the no-confidence motion.

Kiran Kumar Reddy, however, maintained that his government had proved its majority in the assembly through successful election of the speaker and the deputy speaker. He added that he was ready to face a no-trust vote as well if the speaker allowed it.

Meanwhile, TDP politburo member and former speaker, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, reiterated the demand on Monday that the house, since it was not prorogued then, be re-convened to take up the no-trust motion.

Suspended TDP member of legislative assembly Nagam Janardhana Reddy too issued a separate notice to the pro-tem Speaker for moving another no-confidence motion against the government for going back on the formation of Telangana state.

Two TDP MLAs, K Harishwar Reddy and Jogu Ramanna, too signed the notice along with Nagam. But the government on Tuesday recommended to the Governor that the house be deferred immediately since some important ordinances have to be promulgated.

"Based on the government's recommendation, the Governor signed the file postponing the budget session of the legislature," sources in the Raj Bhavan said.

The government sources said the legislature would now be convened again for the monsoon session towards end of July or first week of August.