Uproar in AP Assembly as Telangana Bill tabled

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes and heated exchanges between members cutting across the Telangana and Seemandhra divide, even as the bill that provides for creation of Telangana state was finally tabled in the House.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who had been opposing the bifurcation of the state, however, did not attend the House citing ill-health.

There was high drama in and outside the House as the legislators, split vertically, sought to push forward their respective agendas on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill-2013.

MLAs on either side of the regional divide got into heated exchanges, jostled each other and virtually came to blows inside the House favouring and opposing the draft Bill.

Irate Seemaandhra MLAs belonging to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) tore copies of the Bill that were circulated to them, while those of YSR Congress burnt the copies near the media point outside the House.

Some mediapersons belonging to a television channel and a newspaper from Telangana virtually manhandled the YSRC legislators, decrying the burning of the Bill copies. In response, the MLAs lodged a complaint with Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar and sought action against them.

The day's proceedings began on a chaotic note with Telangana MLAs demanding immediate tabling of the draft Bill in the House and those from Seemaandhra strongly opposing it.

The TDP members from Seemandhra wanted the Bill to be returned to the Centre since it was drafted without a resolution (on the bifurcation of the state) by the Assembly.

After an hour-long adjournment, the Speaker instructed Legislature Secretary S Raja Sadaram to lay copies of the draft Bill on the table of the House and read out the reference of President of India sent to the state on December 12.

While legislators from Telangana cheered the tabling of the Bill, those from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions tore the copies in protest and anger.