Andhra politics heats up, govt to face trust vote

Political temperature in Andhra Pradesh suddenly shot up on Thursday with the Opposition Telugu Desam Party moving a no-confidence motion against the Congress Government, which is already grappling with the contentious Telangana statehood demand and dissidence.

"This government is not able to purchase paddy, cotton and tobacco from farmers and give them minimum support price. They are not even able to provide space to store the produce. The government has lost the confidence of the people," TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu said.

The TDP members of legislative assembly served a notice to move a no-trust motion against the state government to the assembly secretary. They have asked for the house to be convened to discuss the farmers' issue.

Though the TDP does not have enough numbers to pull down the Congress Government, its objective in moving the no-trust motion appears to be part of its strategy to regain the lost ground, particularly  in the wake of the Telangana statehood struggle, and also "expose" YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, political observers feel.

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Parties like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Bharatiya Janata Party have made it clear that they would support a no-confidence motion against the government brought by anyone.

With its own strength of 90 MLAs, the TDP can muster support of 11 TRS, four Communist Party of India, two BJP and one Communist Party of India-Marxist taking the total to 111 in the 294-member assembly.

The Congress, on the other hand, has a strength of 154 MLAs of its own and can count on the support of 17 Praja Rajyam and seven Majlis legislators besides three "associate" members.

The lone Lok Satta MLA is expected to remain neutral.

The YSR Congress officially has only one MLA in the Andhra assembly though about a dozen Congress, two TDP MLA and one of PRP are backing him in violation of their respective parties.

The speaker's post has been vacant ever since Reddy became chief minister. The post of chairman of legislative council too has been lying vacant since the term of A Chakrapani expired.

BJP state president G Kishan Reddy said they too would extend their support.

"We will support any no-confidence motion against the Congress government even if it is moved by the TDP," Kishan told PTI.

The Budget session of the assembly that was adjourned sine die was not prorogued by the Governor so far in view the pending election for the Speaker's post, official source said.

Hence the House could be re-convened to take even the no-confidence motion, the sources added.

The TDP's main objective -- apart from cornering the government on the farmers' issues through a debate on the no-trust motion -- is to "expose" the real strength of Jagan who has been claiming that the Kiran Kumar government was surviving solely at his mercy.

In fact, it was Jagan who first challenged Naidu to move a no-confidence motion against the government.

But when the TDP chief announced his party would move the motion and dared Jagan to parade the MLAs supporting him before the Governor, the MP-elect virtually conceded defeat saying he did not have adequate numbers on his side.

The TDP may eventually face defeat on the no-confidence but it will succeed in exposing Jagan who has been crying hoarse over a "match-fixing deal" between the ruling party and the main opposition.

It will also be a reality check for Jagan who has set his sight on the state Chief Minister's post, political observers say