AP Council has to go for the sake of State's development: YSRCP

Amaravati: Deputy Chief Minister (health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Nani said there was no alternative to abolishing the Legislative Council to ensure the decentralised development of the state.

Participating in the debate on the resolution for abolishing Council on Monday, Alla Nani said TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and others were opposing the decentralisation of development through three capitals only because of their real estate interests in the Amaravati.

"We lost Hyderabad after developing it for nearly six decades. Now, the state and people are not in a position to afford such blunder again. Hence, the Chief Minister has proposed for three capitals with an aim of decentralised development across the 13 districts.

At the same time, the Chief Minister never said that he would cease the development of the Amaravati. He reminded that the people across the state expressed displeasure over the concentration of development at one place alone, Amaravati.

In addition, the Sivaramakrishnan Committee also suggested that the soil in this area is not suitable for developing capital city. But, Naidu ignored all these to benefit the TDP leaders and their followers," he said.

Transport and information and public relations minister Perni Venkatramaiah alias Nani, said that he had good opinion about the Council until recently.

"I was of the opinion that the House of Elders will make some suggestions to improve and strengthen the laws passed by the Lower House. But Chandrababu Naidu has been playing double game.

He voted for the Bills like Commission for SCs and STs and English Medium in the Assembly. But opposed them in the Council, where his son Lokesh is a member," he alleged.

The minister screened video footage of Naidu's comments on a resolution reviving the Council in July, 2004 during the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government. In the video, Naidu was seen stating that Rajasekhar Reddy was introducing the Council only to accommodate their defeated leaders of his party.

Nani said that the TDP chief was known for his U-turns, which was again borne out by his attitude towards abolition of Council.

YSRCP member from Srikakula Dharmana Prasada Rao criticised that despite getting a humiliating defeat in the general elections, Naidu was still trying to make laws, influence the government by using the Council.

"After touring the entire state, understanding the problems of the people, the Chief Minister got the clear mandate. Now, he wants to develop the state.

But, the TDP is obstructing his efforts. They stopped various Bills in the Council. Jagan is implementing the people's mandate. But the defeated Naidu is stalling it.

Is it not against the mandate given by the people? What is the meaning of giving mandate to Jagan, if he could not make the laws for the people and development?" Prasada Rao said.

He said that the Legislative Councils were an imposition on us by the British Raj. "There is no need to have these Upper Houses. The Britishers created these Upper Houses to exploit the people and implement their agenda."

Penamaluru MLA Kolusu Pardasaradhi criticised that the TDP was indulging in "dirty politics" as he could not digest the development and welfare activities being taken by the Jagan Mohan Reddy's government.