Blaming the Centre for failing to take any action on its plea seeking abolition of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government adopted a fresh resolution in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday withdrawing the previous statutory resolution and wanting to continue the Council that is in existence.
Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath moved the resolution and the Assembly passed it by voice vote. The ruling YSR Congress has the numbers in its favour in the 58 member Upper House of the state legislature.
In January 2020, the party had just nine members in the Council while the Telugu Desam Party enjoyed majority with 28.
On January 27, 2020, the government passed the statutory resolution under Article 169 (1) of the Constitution, seeking to abolish the state Legislative Council, “purely in public interest” as it was proving a drain on the exchequer, with the state spending Rs 60 crore a year on it.
Jagan, who last year said he was “feeling proud” when the statutory resolution was passed, was silent in the House when the fresh motion was adopted on Tuesday.
Now, the YSRC has 21 members and the number will go up to 32, including six nominated under the Governor’s quota, after the biennial polls are completed by December 14.
YSRC has always remained evasive on the Council abolition issue ever since the January 2020 resolution and maintained it was for the Centre to take a call.
In an apparent U-turn, it has now sought continuation of the Council as it is politically crucial to accommodate the many aspirants.
The Chief Minister last year pointed out that the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Constitution did not feel the need for a second House of a state Legislature.
“Our party will secure a majority in the Council next year. But we have decided to abolish it only in view of the people’s needs and government’s responsibilities. We are seeking to abolish the Council to protect people’s interests,” the Chief Minister had asserted in January 2020.
On Tuesday, the Finance Minister noted that the Council would be “some addition” (to the Assembly) to give suggestions. “It is advantageous to the Legislature and democracy. We hope the Council will continue and be supportive to the Assembly and give guidance,” Buggana said.
“Despite constant persuasion of the matter at various levels and elapse of a considerable period of time of one year and ten months, the Government of India failed to take action on the (January 27, 2020) resolution of the AP Legislative Assembly. In the meantime, the Council is functioning and discharging its bounden duties,” Buggana said in the fresh resolution.
He claimed there was “uncertainty” among members of the Council as the matter of its abolition was kept pending by the Ministry of Home Affairs for an inordinately long period.
“In the context of the delay and there being no visibility as to the timeframe in which action is likely to be completed, it is considered necessary to put an end to the prevailing situation of uncertainty and ambiguity, which is affecting the dignity and decorum always associated with the Council and its members,” the minister said.
Hence the move to withdraw the previous statutory resolution, Buggana added.
The (united) AP Legislative Council was revived by the then Congress government headed by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in March 2007 after it was first abolished in 1986 when the Telugu Desam Party government, headed by its founder N T Rama Rao, was in power.
Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister then and the Congress enjoyed a clear majority in the AP Council, but the Centre however okayed the AP government’s plea for abolition of the council.
